Laura Drever

Today is dreich in Orkney, so was yesterday. A couple of weeks ago it was anything but dreich.

During ‘Between the Waters’ at The Ness of Brodgar the weather couldn’t have been better, three days of wall to wall sunshine alongside conversations and time with like minded folk. We were invited and encouraged to view artefacts, walk the landscape, ask questions, listen to stories and theories. To think about layers of time and people and attitudes and rituals. Artists: musicians, writers, filmmakers, photographers, painters, printmakers, sculptors and archeologists spending time, thinking about time – it was very inspiring and relaxing.

I was away on a family holiday right off the back of the three days so time to reflect and consider has been stored. The amazing thing about experiences like this is that they can be revisited – sometimes weeks later, sometimes years later…

The Ness of Brodgar is between Harray Loch and Sternness Loch. As children, we spent time on Harray Loch with my dad in his fishing boat – Kamu. We walked as a family exploring the landscape, through fields, around the loch. We stayed at Bosquoy Loch in the caravan and I loved the view of the Hoy Hills from the hammock window. As a student, this landscape was often revisited and thought about. This landscape feels so familiar.

This week, on my return, thoughts have been centred around getting back into the swing of things in the studio. Artworks made in 2002 sprung to mind: embossed leather of found stone and found stone carved from plaster. These two pieces (above) were made in response to living away from Orkney, refections of time, found objects and shapes and symbols that evoke a sense of place. It’s interesting to think about what was thought about then, is just the same as what is though about now and maybe these were the same things that were being thought about 5000 years ago when The Ness of Brodgar was chosen as a place to settle. The use of stone and how it was decorated and carved to make something beautiful.

It’s clear to see why this area was chosen as a place to settle. Food aplenty from land and water, protection from the Hoy Hills, a central meeting place. Possibly the best view in Orkney?

Anyway, it’s good to be home in Orkney, even if it is dreich today. It was so lovely to have a break with family and friends – so important to make the time and cherish it. One of the artefacts that we were shown was a carved love heart stone. Subtle and soft hand made marks decorating the stone that fits in the palm of the hand.

It made me cry.

Made me wonder who made it, who it was made for? Was a love heart a symbol of love as it is now? Could it have been in memory of someone? Was it a gift from time away for a family member or a close friend? Who knows, but I like to think it was all of those things. To me finding a love heart stone is as precious as finding a Groatie Buckie or limpet teeth marks – natures gifts.

Lots of questions to ponder.

If you’d like to learn more about the Ness of Brodgar, look it up – it’s fascinating. How wonderful to live somewhere so beautiful with so much history and stories to tell. What a gift to have been given these three days. Thank you Mark Edmonds and Anne Bevan for the invite and to all the artists that took part.