Tapestry will weave a waterworld wonder
An exciting project coming to Oban in the new year will get the town weaving a giant community tapestry.
A bid for funding will go to Creative Scotland to support the work of art which will eventually go on permanent display at the revamped Rockfield Centre when it opens in 2020.
Scotland’s theme for 2020 will be Coasts and Waters, which will give shape to the tapestry’s design, starting where light filters out in the sea to reveal the mysteries of the deep off Oban’s shores.
Experienced weaver Louise Oppenheimer, from Drimvore near Lochgilphead, will be leading a series of three weekly workshops starting on February 14 to start building up a bank of weavers.
Actual weaving work on the tapestry will make a start in 2020 after design ideals have been drawn up next year. There are 10 spaces available for the weaving workshops with more classes a possibility. Donations of wool would be welcome but a special yarn will be commissioned for the tapestry itself.
‘No weaving experience is necessary,’ said Louise. ‘It’s easily learned and is totally beneficial for health and wellbeing. It’s good for slowing the heart rate and gives a great sense of achievement.
‘It’s quite addictive. It’s the equivalent to worry beads – great for distracting yourself from the nitty gritty of life,’ she said. She also hopes to hear from any experienced weavers who want to be part of the project.
Rockfield’s arts and culture co-ordinator Breege Smyth said the tapestry’s masterplan would be packed with craft and colour as well as involving SAMS at Dunstaffnage, musicians, composers and more.
She said: ‘The masterplan is that the weaving will start where light begins to filter out from the water and will go right down to the seabed involving the mysteries of the deep. It will involve colour and also sound files, some beautiful and some not so good because of pollution – that’s where musicians and composers will kick in.’
Louise added: ‘It has to be visually pleasing even though it might have some uncomfortable truths to come out.’
The tapestry will lead to a series of engagements and performances once Rockfield opens.
‘We’ve yet to come up with how big the weaving frame will be but we are keen for it to be a single piece of work. There could be an opportunity when they do the building work at Rockfield that the frame could be built in and never moved,’ said Breege.
‘This is going to be an amazing collaboration, that could only happen here in Oban.’
To be involved, email breege@therockfieldcentre.org.uk