IC:Innovative Craft Blog

Patterns are everywhere

Posted Thursday 18 December 2008, 07:44pm

The title for Frances Priest’s workshop to be held here at Dovecot at 6.30pm on 13 January 2009* is a phrase that resonates with all of us at IC and Dovecot as we move forward from our frantic, fascinating, fast-paced activity of 2008.

Everywhere around us there are intricate and arresting patterns to remember and enjoy. Douglas Grierson’s vibrant new tapestry, being cut off this week, is a brilliantly-patterned homage to the art of bathing – and a celebration of Dovecot Studios’ new swimming pool home. Four major exhibitions and one special display (Weaving Influences; Raising the Bar; One Eco Home furniture; Henry Moore Textiles; Jerwood Contemporary Makers) have all been launched in the Dovecot building in 2008, creating patterns of connection between diverse organisations such as Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Henry Moore Foundation and Ruthin Craft Centre and individual artists and designers from Scotland, Australia, Japan, Europe and America. The patterns of new technology are taking shape through the emerging IC website. These involve new recording equipment for launching our 2009 podcasts and the filmcraft project curated by Matt Hulse. The imaginative potential of creating real pattern through virtual means is explored through the work of young Scottish designer Drummond Masterton, whose CAD/CAM aluminium dishes have been dazzling viewers to Jerwood Contemporary Makers. 

Nor are the patterns of old technology forgotten. In this age of new austerity we can enjoy the sustainable pattern of reanimating an old building using groundsource heating and hemp insulation and the sustainable creation of a superb, birchply display setbuild by Scottish sculptor Scott Laverie which we used for the displays in Raising the Bar in Edinburgh and in Wales. From February to May 2009 the exhibition, and Scott’s setbuild, will be shown in a third venue, at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art. Simply designed and well constructed, the units show that craft is useful to the world of exhibition design as well as to the content. 

New projects for 2009 include hosting the Age of Experience from Ruthin in May 2009. This is a superb celebration of established makers from the UK that shows the interconnected pattern of generations and includes new commissions from Caroline Broadhead alongside the eloquent patterns of the macrogauze hangings by the late Peter Collingwood, who sadly died earlier this year. There is also a rare chance to see a new collection from UK ceramist Elizabeth Fritsch in this exhibition. Fritsch’s poised, patterned forms are deeply inspired by her love, knowledge and practice of music. 

Music is another potential pattern threaded through the IC/Dovecot activity. Young Scottish cellist Will Conway has been testing the acoustics; musical instrument maker and acoustic music composer Sarah Kenchington has been invited to created sound around stitch for the filmcraft weekend; and David Weir has kept tension at bay through rather effective riffs on the resident grand piano. 

The lights are on in Princes Street, the Ferris wheel is turning and the Scott Monument stands stonily to attention over the skaters, the drinkers and the partygoers and another pattern occurs to me.  The pattern of unstinting, often unseen but unswervingly generous time given by my colleagues Roanne Dods and Elizabeth Goring at IC to help all these other patterns take shape.

With thanks and see you all next year. 

* Full details of this ‘drawing, making, looking’ evening can be found on our events page.