Lizzie has success all sewn up
LIZZIE Campbell-Preston started sewing tapestries as a child. By the time she was eight she had completed a number of tapestries including a salmon, a Dalmatian dog and various sheep.
Tapestry work would be done at all hours but she particularly enjoyed doing them when travelling, waiting in airports and on holiday.
In her mid-twenties, she decided to make a career out of her hobby. She started by learning embroidery, techniques for painting canvas, different materials and the use of colours. She moved up to studying for a diploma and is now part way through achieving this, having done two years and gained a number of certificates.
Works completed during her course include a Jacobean owl, a scene of Oban harbour, a gold work Black Watch thistle and a cruise liner. All these works are on view in the gallery of the shop.
In early 2015, the opportunity arose to fulfil her dream of getting a tapestry shop and studio when the old Post Office on Oban’s Esplanade came up for sale. Inspired by having completed her Oban harbour scene, every effort was made to obtain the premises and this was achieved in August 2015.
Lizzie said: ‘I sell the Elizabeth Bradley kits and finished tapestries of William Morris, lovely bowls with thistles on, some scarfs, boxes for buttons and sewing stuff. The gallery and shop have got the most beautiful view and the Esplanade is very popular. There is always something going on in the harbour and I find it a wonderful place to do my tapestry work.’
She has two ongoing commissions – both for local patrons – a cover for a stool and a wool tapestry picture of a lovely boat taken from a photograph.
Lizzie is planning to set up tapestry workshops and embroidery classes with the hope of encouraging others to take up tapestry.