Clothed by Plants - Pittenweem Arts Festival 2015

The Pittenweem Arts Festival 2015 is in full swing and I particularly enjoyed the Clothed by Plants exhibition.

Wrap - Linda Green

This exhibition has been inspired by Angus MacPhee (1916-1997), a Scottish outsider artist who lived for some time on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides and is known for his garments woven from vegetation e.g. grasses.  Most of his works were made while he was a resident in Craig Dunain Psychiatric Hospital near Inverness.  He was known as the "Weaver of Grass" and for the 50 years he spent in the hospital he chose to remain silent.  Angus's work was discovered by Joyce Laing, artist, art therapist and collector of outsider art.  She established the Art Extraordinary Gallery in Pittenweem.

Kimono - Joyce Laing

I loved the work of Joyce Laing, Linda Green, Caroline Dear and Joanne B Kaar who were all exhibiting in Clothed by Plants. 

Gu Aonghais - slippers for Angus - Caroline Dear

Woven landscape: grassland - Caroline Dear

shift/dress - Caroline Dear

Caroline Dear has made 3 pieces.  "Gu Aonghais" - a pair of slippers for Angus & "Woven landscape: grassland" are both made of the grasses and flowers typical of South Uist.  Caroline imagines the woven landscape piece acting as a mat for the slippers when they are not being worn.  Her third piece is a life size dress made of Hair moss and contructed using her own stitch - very ethereal!

Decorative Collars - Linda Green

Linda Green has been inspired by the skills of Angus Macphee and the horse collars made from Marram grass straw on South Uist. The result is a series of beautiful decorative collars on a wearable human scale.  Each collar is different using local plants and the techniques of leno woven structure, tapestry weaving, hand beaten bark paper, leaf paper and knitting.  They are rather fabulous! (More of Linda's work can be seen at Weft textile studio on East Shore.)

Hats - Joanne Kaar

Finally I loved the hats by Joanne Kaar (visit her blog for much better pictures).  Made from the leaves of crocosmia, flag & blue irises and soft rush, they have been variously coiled and stitched to make these fantastic creations.

If you are in Pittenweem this is definitely a "must see".  (Lovely cakes & coffee at Funky Scottish on the High Street too!)