A window exhibition is about to take place of colourful aprons and cushions created by Langholm schoolchildren to celebrate the town\u2019s heritage as a centre for textiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The display is the result of a project run by Upland CIC that saw Kirkcudbright-based international designer and artist Morag Macpherson work with pupils from Langholm Academy and Langholm Primary School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three aprons, which have echoes of the workwear once worn by millworkers, and the cushions, are patchworks of linen and tweed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The linen patches have each been printed with designs by the children.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These were inspired by\u00a0visits to Elliot\u2019s Shed where l weaver and designer Lynn Elliot inspired the students with his traditional mechanical pedal looms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All the pieces will be on show in the window of 42-44 Langholm High Street, from this Friday until 29 November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Morag said:\u00a0\u201cThe children were fantastic to work with. I was blown away by their imagination, their creativity and their openness to new ways of working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe designs are really striking, bold and colourful so I hope that people will enjoy seeing the exhibition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone involved \u2013 the schools, teachers, local businesses and organisations \u2013 have been so positive and helpful and have shown a real pride in their town and its heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The work is part of Making Connections, a wider project being run by Dumfries &\u00a0Galloway arts development agency Upland CIC, which is enabling artists and makers to explore Langholm\u2019s textile history in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Langholm Academy art and design teacher\u00a0Adam German, his S2 students, and the P6 primary pupils benefited a great deal from the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said:\u00a0\u201cIt was a great opportunity for the pupils to work with a professional designer and learn about her process. They learned a lot about how to develop a source of inspiration to create a surface print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s also been very rewarding for the pupils because they are learning about the history of the town, and it has personal resonance for many of them as their grandparents and even parents worked in the textile industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe think that the community will enjoy having the chance to see work that the children have produced that\u2019s inspired by their town and their history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The secondary school pupils shared pictures they had taken and information they had collected with the primary children, something Adam welcomed because it allowed students of different ages to collaborate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project involved close collaboration with\u00a0Lucy MacLeod\u00a0of Outpost Arts and the Langholm Initiative Textiles Eskdale Project (funded by the Holywood Trust) who organised young people\u2019s visits to Elliot\u2019s Shed and sourced the textiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Judith Johnson, Langholm Initiative Project Manager, said: \u201cI was delighted to see how Morag and the children have incorporated traditional Langholm tweeds and beautiful contemporary digital designs \u2013 it\u2019s a fabulous mix of old and new technologies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Textiles Eskdale aims\u00a0to re-energise\u00a0Langholm\u2019s traditional textile heritage and to develop new opportunities for enjoyment, training, employment and enterprise in the sector.\u00a0This made it a natural partner in the Upland CIC arts project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy Marletta, Uplands Creative Director, said:\u00a0\u201cThe schools work has been a great success under difficult circumstances. The Covid-19 pandemic threw everything into doubt but thanks to the enthusiasm and determination of everyone involved it has resulted in some really beautiful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly positive to see young people building on the history and heritage of the textiles industry to create vibrant new work and to start to think about how it can contribute to a positive and creative future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ends<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notes for editors <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n About Creative Scotland<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n About Upland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Upland CIC (Community Interest Company) supports artists and makers based in, and with connections to, the region. It will delivers, events, training, networking, support and opportunities as part of a year-round programme to benefit the region, its artists, communities and economy. Upland CIC runs the annual Spring Fling contemporary visual art and craft open studios weekend in Dumfries and Galloway. It will work closely with other arts bodies in the region to further-strengthen the sector. Upland is based at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries and exists to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its funders are Creative Scotland, D&G Council, The Holywood Trust, The William Grant Foundation, The Heritage Lottery Fund, ASWT, Barfill. <\/s><\/p>\n\n\n\n