While Loch Lomond is a fresh water Loch, the tidal waters of the Rover Clyde at Dumbarton Rock, come up the River Level (which transports water from Loch Lomond to the Clyde).

This tidal water brings seals, who bring stories from further away. Some pieces are inspired by the stories of the Selkie Folk, this is one such tale:

A white standing stone stands in a field. This stone has witnessed many things over many yers. Once part of a circle, when the sea was much further away - today only a single stone remains, with the edge of the shore not too far away.

One twilight the stone witnessed several seals haul themselves out of the water and onto the shore. Under the rising moon seven women emerges from the seals - each one carefully hiding their selkie skins. One woman tip toes up to the stone and buried her selkie skin down by the base of the stone under the earth.

That evening six of the women returned, retrieving heir selkie skins and once seals again rushed back below the waves. the seventh woman didn’t return. There are stories in the village of a selkie woman who came to live on land, and tales of children with dark soulful eyes, just like their mother.

As long as this single stone remains, it watches over the selkie skin, knowing one day that the seventh woman will return, shape-shift into seal and answer the call of the sea. These three stones are inspired by a stone circle while the original story may have no longer survived, threads of the story speak of a place to bring questions and petitions – a place to stay overnight and speak to the old ones.

Weaving Loch Lomond

These circular pieces weave in threads of the colours of the land, essence of place and folklore. I cast a large circle around Loch Lomond, drawing in the inspiration of the surrounding land. Some places may no longer exist but reside in ancestral memory.

Each piece is inspired by a walk in the hills, the sight of a hawk, deer or heron. Some stories come from the journey the great River Clyde takes, meandering down by islands and then out to the Irish Sea. These pieces hold the magic of the thin places and the seasons, and are a blessing of hill and loch, glen and corrie, mountain, bog and crag.

Materials

·      The main background – grey yarn in different hues

·      The stone – needle felted with wool, embroidery thread embellishment

·      Additional embellishments – Birch twigs, fancy yarn, tulle, fabric and a limpet shell

Measurements

The embroidery hoop has a diameter of 8 inches / 20 cm

Shipping
UK - Tracked 48 with Royal Mail
Rest of the World - International Tracked and signed