Fair Isle art residency
The island
Over the last few years I regularly visited the most remote inhabited island of the UK. Fair Isle is a small island situated between the Shetlands and the Orkneys with about 250.000 inhabitants of which 45 are people and the rest are birds. I stayed twice at the Fair Isle Studio for an art residency. During these stay I explored the island, talked with the islanders and learned a lot about its birds. I was overwhelmed by the rock formations, the power of the sea and the easy of which birds find their way in this rough habitat.
Since I have returned several times as my connection to the island and its people grew. I have learned the traditional Fair Isle knitting on a flatbed knitting machine by Marie Bruhat.
Island inspiration
The entire island experience is overwhelming, the Fair Isle colours, the ever changing light, the textures of the rocks, the lichens, the movement of the water, the wind and of course its birds. The island is surrounded by rock formations. They look static and sturdy but are in fact changing all the time by abiotic and biotic influences.
Currently I am preparing an art project on the threats of climate change on the puffins. Heating ocean water disrupts the entire food chain. For this project I will use local Shetland wool and work together with ocean scientists.
