***UPDATED*** see update near the end for latest plan and what to expect…

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. Currently on an intensive split wood basketry course called Wood Water Weave with split wood legend Lorna Singleton. The idea being to upscale the criticaly endangered heritage craft basket skills to skin on frame boats.

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 in day order:

1. Friday. The Seed: Timber Framing in the Lean-to and woodland workshop, we will plant a tree.
2. Saturday. Green woodwork in Springburn woods
3. Sunday. Traditional boatbuilding main garage workshop
4. Monday. The Sea: Loch Fyne, we invite you to depart thinking of your own projects and how to maintain tools, keep a sharp wit and consider how we can use off-grid machinery and natural materials more…

***UPDATE***

Due to unforseen poor health over the summer, plans have reduced and changed. Pottery will not feature as much but basketry will feature more on a made to order basis. I have invited and collaborated with other natural material craftsfolk and local producers of fyne produce to enhance the baskets on show.

***THERE WILL BE A NANO MARKET SELLING LOCAL PRODUCE ***

Selling from Seed to Sea’s baskets, we have: A glasgow antique tool dealer, Loch Fyne seafood, The veggie patch freshly grown produce, Amys Kitchen sourdough loaves and treats and other delights. Some of seed to seas products will be available with a couple of larger items raffled. All baskets will be available at a later date and made to order.

***GREENWOOD BOWL LATHE DEMOS AND SHORT WORKSHOPS IN THE WOOD SAT/SUN/MON***

The Spoon Dragon (Denis Lockhart) himself is coming to whittle some Bowls and other treen in the woodland workshop on Saturday Sunday and Monday. Denis is a friend who joined me on my very first basket adventure with Cathy Potter-Irwin in Ardfern 2017. Fellow paddle maker, To the Root (Ffion Harris) has added some of her natural material craft creations and has a stunning SUP paddle to be raffled on the 20th Dec. There will be scope for collaboration and bringing her paddle workshops to Springburn Wood.

Examples of how each day will be broken up into 2hr organic (subject to change) chunks as follows:

Demos D will happen in the morning chunk 10am – 12 noon

Lunch 12 noon – 1pm

Workshops W early afternoon 1pm – 3pm

HAGs H (Have a go’s) /Main market time 3pm – 5pm

Friday TIMBER FRAME DAY: D Japanese v M&T joinery, W Beach hut and signpost build, H Nano staircase challenge

Saturday COPPICE CRAFT DAY: D Riven wood, W Stools, H Weaving

Sunday BOATBUILDING DAY: D Paddle carving, W Coracle, H Copper Rooving

Monday WORKSHOP AND TOOLS DAY: D  Sharpening W Tool restoration H Planing Wood.

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

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

Woodland workshop: What 3 Words: ///boating.grades.recap