Residents in the Sinclair Bay area invited to get creative at workshops in Keiss, Reiss and Staxigoe
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Local artist Shelagh Swanson is running a number of workshops this month as part of her residency with the Sinclair's Bay Trust.
She has set up a group – Sinclair's Bay Creatives – for anyone living, working in or connected in the area to discover or share their creativity and learn new skills. Shelagh would like everyone to become involved, whether their interest is in visual arts, crafts, photography, poetry or video.
The group has a Facebook page and has regular meet ups during which members can get together, learn new skills, collaborate or simply have a blether with like minded souls.
Shelagh got her residency off to a good start in May under the Safe Harbour theme, working on a collaborative community art piece called Safety Net, which celebrates what makes the Sinclair Bay area a safe place to live.
The theme will be carried through into the free workshops this month, where the artist will share her skills with the group. Those interested are welcome to just dip in and come to one or two events, or attend multiple activities across the various venues.
Shelagh explained: "Although these are all technique-based classes, we will be discussing the residency theme of Safe Harbour, and participants will be encouraged to create and develop work in response to it."
Around 80 diamonds have already been made for the Safety Net project and once the piece is completed it will be taken to different venues around the Sinclair Bay area, including visits to some of the groups that participated.
Shelagh, who is enjoying being back in Caithness, hopes the finished piece will be a lasting legacy for the area. "There is so much going on in Caithness," she said. "I really feel there is lots of investment in the community here. One of the reasons I wanted to do the residency was to make connections."
The series of workshops, suitable for beginners or those with previous art experience, are taking place in village halls in Staxigoe, Keiss and Reiss. There are sessions on the Safety Net theme, introductions to printmaking, expressive painting techniques and a sea glass/sea plastic mosaic class.
Materials are provided, but for the mosaic sessions Shelagh is encouraging people to go and collect plastic from the local beaches and take it along to the classes.
The workshops got off to a start this week, with the continuation of the Safety Net theme. The first session was held in in Keiss on Wednesday afternoon, and another in Staxigoe on Thursday, in which a number of local residents took part.
Next up is an introduction to printmaking session in Staxigoe on Sunday from 10.30am to 1pm, followed by an expressive painting techniques workshop in the same venue on Tuesday 2pm-4pm with a sea glass/plastic mosaic class on Tuesday, July 26, from 12 noon to 2.30pm.
Events in Reiss begin with an expressive painting techniques workshop on Wednesday at 9pm, followed by an introduction to printmaking session on Thursday, starting at 4.30pm. A sea glass/plastic mosaic class will be held on the evening of Thursday, July 28, and a Safety Net workshop will take place on Sunday, July 31, from 2pm-4pm.
An introduction to printmaking workshop will also be held in Keiss on Thursday evening, starting at 9pm, followed by expressive painting techniques on Wednesday, July 27, and a sea glass/plastic mosaic session on Friday, July 29.
In addition, the beach at Keiss will be the venue for a beach plaster casting workshop on Sunday, July 24.
To book email info@shelaghswanson.com or visit www.shelaghswanson.com/safeharbour for more information.
