Delighted to announce the Travelling Embroidery Exhibition EcoCreative Cluster: Nettle Circle (International). At Oban Library (reading room) on 16 & 17 February 10am-1pm, at The Rockfield Centre (ground floor corridor) on 18 & 22-25 February 10am-3pm, before travelling to Artspace Oban on Esplanade on 1-4 March.

This is an exhibition of embroidery works made by workshop participants in Malin Head, Ireland and Oban, Scotland, using exchanged materials such as nettle papers, naturally dyed threads and Irish and Scottish linens. The Malin Head workshop was led by Malin Head-based embroidery artist Lyndsey McDougall, and the Oban workshop was led by Oban-based textile artist and natural dyer Deborah Gray.

Participants were invited to embroider freely: some were inspired by local landscapes; some enjoyed learning about embroidery and/or natural dyeing for the first time, while some were experienced. Some were Oban residents born in Ireland, some were Malin Head residents born in Scotland; and some were three generations of women from one family.

Through these embroidery works, please enjoy the different yet fascinatingly connected stories around plants, colours, creative practices, cultures and landscapes between two specific localities: Malin Head, Ireland and Oban, Scotland.

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EcoCreative Cluster: Nettle Circle (International) is a micro-exchange between curator Naoko Mabon, textile artist Deborah Gray, artist Lyndsey McDougall, and community members of Oban, Argyll and Malin Head, Ireland. We make embroidery by exchanging materials and stories involving nettle fibres, natural dyes, local lore, and Irish and Scottish linens. Final works are displayed in Oban.

Part of CHArts Argyll and Isles, Growing Global Networks, funded by Creative Scotland and supported by Scottish Government and Argyll and Bute Council, and Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The project activities are generously supported by The Rockfield Centre, Artspace Oban, Malin Head Community, Black Heart Bakery, Oban Library LiveArgyll Libraries, Solace Bakery and a network circle of community members.