Tobermory Open Studios
Tobermory Open Studios at An Tobar Gallery, where the pulse of island arts and culture comes alive. Visit our vibrant creative community as local artists transform An Tobar into a dynamic hub of workshops and demonstrations.
Discover your passion for art in its myriad forms – from captivating paintings, photography and intricate sculpture to exquisite textiles and ceramics. An Tobar Arts Centre stands as the beating creative heart of Tobermory, attracting artists from all corners with its diverse studios and shops showcasing the stunning arts and crafts crafted right here on the island. Join us in celebrating the boundless creativity that thrives in the heart of Tobermory.
The artists and makers in An Tobar Gallery will be Sarah Smith, Morar Honeyman, Claire Arnold, Kathy McAdam, Calum Hall and Sarah Darling. Sarah Smith will be in the gallery demonstrating her weaving and Morar will be holding ceramics workshops over the Easter break.
The artist’s bios:
Sarah’s Weaving Shed: I have always been interested in fabric and textiles, being a hobbyist knitter and cross-stitcher all of my life. But my change of career happened in 2016 when I took a weaving course and immediately fell in love with the processes involved in designing and creating material. Now, after taking early retirement, I design and weave material on my 32” Ashford four-shaft table loom in Tobermory on the beautiful Isle of Mull.
My inspiration for the fabric I produce comes from the colours and textures of the yarns I source, from client requirements and also from the colours of the natural world around me. I also specialise in small runs of clan tartans.
Hand weaving as opposed to industrial weaving gives a more personal and artisan finish to the completed fabric. From the material that I design and weave I make scarves, cushion covers as well as other smaller craft items such as brooches, buttons and various dog accessories.
Follow Sarah on her Fb page: @sarahsweavingshed
Morar Honeyman: Mull has so inspired me, the landscapes, ever changing light and the colours of the different seasons, both in my painting and pottery. The wildlife and buildings also feature in my work. I use a variety of clays, earthenware and stoneware depending on the project, and do raku firings in the summer. I like to experiment with different painting media.
You can follow Morar on her fb page: @TheHoneypot
Claire Arnold: I have lived on Mull since 2018. Being drawn here by its landscape, serenity and open-minded community spirit. Since being here I have developed my passion for working with wood and pyrography, the art of decorating wood by burning a design onto the surface.
I enjoy working with old, unwanted wood, whether its driftwood, home accessories or unwanted off-cuts. I love to rework these into decorative or useable household items adding pyrography designs which I feel most enhance each item, creating wonderous, one off pieces of art.
Follow Claire on her Fb page: @mycraftylittlething
Kathy McAdam, Island Pottery: I call myself a beginner-potter, although I started in 2015. Everything I make is handbuilt, hand-drawn and painted. My pottery is an eclectic mix, making houses of any description, also using driftwood sometimes to enhance the piece, plates, wonky mugs and clocks. The clocks are mostly of Tobermory. I also have made some Raku Pottery which I thoroughly enjoy.
You can follow Kathy on Facebook here
Calum Hall: Explore my collection of hand-painted watercolours that draw inspiration from the enchanting sea shells and landscapes along the wild west coast of Scotland.
The dimensions of each framed artwork are 50 x 40 cms, providing a perfect balance of size and visual impact.
One of this series of studies was selected for the Highland Art Prize in 2023 and exhibited at The Briggait, Glasgow with the other artists selected.
Follow Calum’s watercolour work at calumhallstudio.com
Sarah Darling Photography: After a nomadic 44 years I am now based in Tobermory. Photography has been a constant in my life since my late teens, starting with simple film cameras before moving on to SLR cameras and making my own darkroom to process black and white images. I now use digital cameras and my work ranges from fine art photography to documenting events and performance. For me a successful image is one that serves a purpose, tells a story, asks a question, and/or evokes emotion. I am interested in exploring different ways of using images to achieve this.
The theme of this body of work is remembering. “Human memory involves the ability to both preserve and recover information. However, this is not a flawless process. Sometimes people forget or misremember things.” Two versions of the same image are woven together to represent both a different lived experience of the same place or event, and the tenuous nature of memory.
Follow Sarah Darling on Instagram here
Please find the full map for the other artists and venues included in the Tobermory Open Studios here
