I’m an artist-maker living in South-west Scotland. From 2011- 2020 I lived on the Western Isles working in crofting and conservation. The experience of living on Uist is now embedded in my work.
The Western Isles ( Or the Outer Hebrides) are a chain of islands found off the coast of north-west Scotland. They are remote, wild places, with strong Gaelic culture, now digitally connected with the rest of the world, albeit sometimes a fragile link.
Becoming part of a place takes time and understanding which for me comes also through drawing the landscapes and seascapes of the Islands. The botanical, ecological and design training I received while training and working as a landscape architect, also underpins my thinking.
Celebrating local heritage and traditions are part of belonging and when I began making felt in response to my drawings and working with sheep, it brought me closer to the land. Raising sheep has always been part of crofting life. Local sheep originally provided the wool for the founding of the Harris Tweed industry and there is still a strong connection with textiles: weaving, knitting and making yarn.
Felting is a slow, organic process which starts with the shearing, sorting fleeces, washing, drying, carding, blending and then finally to the felting itself. This website is a place to show how my connections and respect for the Islands is translated into rugs, vessels and pods and writings – most recently a children’s picture book about a Scottish springy spaniel, corncrake and the wild places I love.
My work grows and evolves as I make. I’m interested in how the felted work and drawings extend each other when considered together, but I also see them as individual pieces in their own right.
I like to work with sheep and use mainly local fleeces in my work. Hebridean sheep come in many shapes and sizes. My staple materials come from Blackface, Cheviot and the North Atlantic rare breed of Hebridean sheep.
Recently I’ve begun to collect and incorporate local wild plants into my work, especially the Vessels
And combine raw and carded fleece into Rugs
My rugs and vessels are for sale locally. I welcome bespoke commissions. Please email rebecca@rebeccacottonstudio.com or fill in the form on my Contact page
My studio is open by appointment. Please contact me by email to arrange a suitable time to visit.
I also run bespoke workshops for all abilities. Contact me on rebecca@rebeccacottonstudio.com
Molagan (Hebridean felted soap) was my first sustainable, local, hand-crafted product, inspired by the sea. Having made and sold a thousand I am now having a break and returning to making larger pieces.