August 2 to 31, 2023
The Gallery, The Stables, Falkland Estate, Fife KY15 7AF Open daily 10- 4
‘Response’
Four friends responding to the elements and each other having worked together in Room 003 show basketry, collage, photography and textiles.
August 31 to
September 9, 2023
The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ
‘Folk at Heart’
A multidisciplinary exhibition celebrating work which is in part inspired by folk traditions, where I will be showing a series of shoppers featuring gold leaf and a new wave form incorporating rubber tubing.
September 27 to October 28, 2023
The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ
‘From Willow to Wood’
From Willow to Wood presents sculptural willow pieces from Lise Bech and scorched oak vessels and furniture from Jim Partridge and Liz Walmsley. Lise Bech works exclusively with Scottish willow to create traditional as well as contemporary pieces, much of it organically grown, tended and harvested (coppiced) by hand.
Based in Oswestry, Shropshire, Jim Partridge and Liz Walmsley have worked together since 1986 designing and making furniture, with the exception of the vessels which remain solely Jim’s domain. Their studio furniture, much of which is carved from blocks of green oak, often scorched and polished to a lustrous black finish, are held in public collections across the world.
November 4, 2023 to March 3, 2024
City Arts Centre, Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
’The Scottish Landscape Awards Exhibition’
This is the inaugural exhibition arranged by the Scottish Arts Trust and juried by Barbara Rae, Marian Leven, David Mach, Ade Adesina and Jane & Louise Wilson.
2800 submission were received and 140 selected and I am the only basketmaker to be represented by one of my sculptural forms: 'Drovers Road and Sheep Tracks’.
May 4 to 6, 2024
Freuchie, Fife KY15 7EY
Open Studios North Fife
I hope to take part again in 2024.
Men in Kilts
Last but not least a wee flag up for the TV show ‘Men in Kilts’ on the Starz channel. During the summer 2020 Anna Liebmann and myself were sworn to secrecy regarding taking part the filming of a basketmaking session with two famous actors (from Outlander), Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish - both of whom have basketmakering in the family. Sam is Trevor Leat's nephew and Graham has an ancestor who made baskets in Portobello’s Fisherow !
Anna brought a van load of willow and baskets for the props department to create a suitable feel and the two men worked on a frame basket each with considerable hilarity…
Willow harvest
and courses
After harvesting willow at the Museum of Scottish Rural Life for over 20 years the bed is coming to the end of its life and due to building work we were not able to harvest in 2023. I therefore do not anticipate further public events of this kind in the near future.
And now well into my 8th decade I have with some difficulty decided not to teach courses any longer. It has been such a joy to share my knowledge and I treasure the many friendships made along the way!!
