The Big Willow project is now well underway at Brahan. 

A team of enthusiastic volunteers drawn from the membership of the Scottish Basketmakers’ Circle is assisting Patrick Dougherty in building his site-specific sculpture by the lochan on the estate, which, he maintains, is the most beautiful site he has ever worked in.

There is an on-going programme of master-classes and activities for local schoolchildren held by the two other artists-in residence, Caroline Dear and Tim Johnson.

The sculpture is being constructed from willow grown on the estate and takes the form of Patrick’s response to the landscape there and his interest in the standing stones in the area.

Patrick is an artist of international reputation and has built these exciting sculptures all over the world, usually spending a month or more on each piece.  For him, the experience of working with professional basket-makers is a new one and it has been beneficial to everyone involved in the project – the other artists in-residence, the volunteers and the visitors to the site.

“We are,” Patrick states, “all learning from each other and I am really enjoying being with people who know about willow and who understand how to work with it.”

The project is engineered to engage and excite interest locally and nationally.  So far there has been a steady stream of visitors to the site and everyone who sees the work in progress is amazed at the inspired, stunning impact of what is going on in this quiet Highland estate.  Public awareness of the extended potential of the basket-making process in a natural environment has certainly been heightened.

The work will be completed by the public opening on the 27th May 2006 and will stand until it is deconstructed one year later as part of the Highland 2007 year of Highland culture celebrations.  This specially commissioned performance event will feature music by Blazing Fiddles, fire and dance by Te Pooka with assistance from the Scottish Basketmakers Circle.

With the opening of ‘Pushing the Boundaries’, a touring exhibition of new work by the Scottish Basketmakers’ Circle, on the 26th May in Inverness, even more people will be able to see just what can be done with a handful of willow wands.

Further information can be found on the Scottish Basketmakers Circle website – http://www.scottishbasketmakerscircle.org