Seed to Sea woodworks (StSw) is new to Cowal Open Studios as a business. However, growing up in Cowal, I have always dreamt to share my creative and regenerative craft at such a fantastic and well renowned event. As a fledgling Gaelic speaker, I have a hope to learn some Gaelic words that connect folk to landscape to tools to craft. Seed to Sea is by name and nature, a cyclical and holistical process, where kind and considerate language, rooted in the landsacape, is key.

Bataichean a’ dèanamh Bhàtaichean

Sticks make Boats

The main disciplines at StSw are traditional boatbuilding and small scale timber framing. Both are connected through coppice crafts and the transferable skills and regenerative local material that coppicing could provide.

Spending 15years as an outdoor educator in Argyll has set me up well to run craft workshops in the future. There will be a newsletter for interested folk to sign up to. Future workshops will include, paddle oar or spar making, Coracles for foraging, skin on frame canoes and split wood basketry.

The boatbuilding focuses on developing coppiced wood for lightweight skin on frame (s.o.f) craft (big baskets). Coppiced Wattle (for wattle and daub) is a connection with the timber frames. As part of our 5yr plan we hope to run a coppicing apprenticeship scheme. The purpose of which will be to highlight and enhance the West UKs Atlantic Rainforest by removal of invasive and mono-culture woodlands, to be replaced by viable and productive bio-diverse coppice coupes. These areas could both produce regenerative products, help improve soil health and further down the line, be ripe for lichen and bryophyte colonization when the coppicing moves on.

With 3+ on-site studios to adapt to the weather:

1. Green woodwork in Springburn woods
2. Traditional boatbuilding main workshop demonstrating alternative power machinery
3. Timber Framing in the Lean-to
4. Loch Fyne

In one of the dry spaces, there will be opportunity to purchase locally sourced, hand made, split wood basketry, perhaps even try your hand at this endangered heritage craft. Or have a go on a Potters kick wheel by the burn, sheltered by an open timber frame or purchase some local wild clay pottery. There will be a portfolio of Seed to Sea woodworks multi passionate and multi disciplined projects to date, with the possibility of commissioning a craft project of your own.

Engaging discussion on other locally available natural materials to make products, such as oils, lanolin, bone, leather and of course clay. Having discovered some wild clay on the shore at Springburn, we hope it will work for pottery or natural building materials. My pottery is very much a creative and artistic outlet that feeds my soul and therefore the craft produced.

Specific workshops, demonstrations and crafty happenings tbc and announced nearer the time. Or row up and sea on the day.

We look forward to connecting with you!                                                                                                                                                      Obair-fiodha bho Shìol gu Muir: Woodworking from Seed to Sea

What 3 Words: ///debater.boat.reputable