Artist

An Unfolding Landscape  

Sea separates from sky

Earth from sea

All things take shape

From darkness

Thomas A Clark, Farm by the Shore

The landscape of Assynt, the corner of the north west Highlands that I call home, is an ancient one, with exposed rocky mountains, tumbling burns, lazy peat bogs and a litter of ruins that betray the pioneering and harsh lives lived by earlier human inhabitants. This drama sits just the other side of the fence surrounding my large and lush garden, which is densly planted with trees and provides year-round vegetables for us as well as shelter for the smaller creatures and birds.  This is an environment full of stark contrasts and powerful images which cannot fail to fuel the imagination.

This weekend gives you the opportunity to translate your response to this exciting landscape through the medium of textiles, in the form of a concertina book, with the option of including either your own words or a quotation from a favourite writer. Enjoy using collage and hand and machine stitch, to unfold the nature of this landscape through the creation of a unique piece of textile book art.

No experience of textile art, book-making or creative writing is required. 

All materials are supplied.

Please click on an image below to see the full picture.

Jan's studio is in Elphin, overlooked by the magnificent mountains of Suilven, Canisp, Cul Mor and Cul Beag. This remote location means that accommodation is a little more difficult to find, but the experience of visiting this area makes the search well worthwhile. Many course participants opt to stay in Ullapool, which is 20 minutes drive away. It is a most picturesque fishing village, with a good range of accommodation to suit all budgets. There are many restaurants and takeaways and shops, as well as some evening entertainment, should you have any energy left at the end of that day's workshop. And students often group together and car share for their daily trip up the road, past Stac Pollaidh, to the studio. Please look at the Accommodation links page to find out more.

To read about an innovative community partnership approach to preserving and improving this landscape for the benefit of all, have a look at Coigach and Assynt Living Landscapes. To find out about the fascinating geology of this area go to North West Highland Geopark.