A Highland Landscape - Rogie Falls
As part of the general refurbishment of paths and facilities at Rogie Falls, near Contin, the Forestry Commission for Scotland asked me to make a mosaic to replace one of the interpretation panels near the car park. The design had to incorporate the Salmon Leap at Rogie but, since the area to be mosaiced was very wide (actual size 2 feet by 8 feet), then it was obvious that the design would have to extend far beyond a depiction of the Falls in order to fill the shape.
In the end, I decided on a stylised Highland landscape, depicting the life cycle of a salmon, from its hatching at the spawning ground, through the early stages of life, then out to sea and its eventual return up the river, its leap up the falls and then back to the spawning ground. The design incorporated examples of the type of landscape to be found along this journey, such as hills and moor, along with examples of the types of trees found there, such as birch and rowan. The design also included some of the wildlife that shares that landscape - deer, fox, raven and eagle.
Almost all of the work is in glass and was done in my studio onto a mesh surface which was then transferred to the site and installed in large sections, so that the on-site work was completed in a day. The favourable comments from the members of the public who watched me during the installation were very encouraging; this colourful work should make everyone smile, even in the dullest of winter days.
