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Author Archives: cam-biddell

Making natural dyes and pigments, image credit: SSW

Mid Week Makes – Autumn 2026

Mid Week Makes is an evening programme that takes place on Wednesdays from 6-8pm and brings people together to experiment with creative materials, try new processes and spend time making alongside one another. This autumn’s sessions explore photography, plant-based pigments and printmaking, and willow making, with a focus on natural and locally grown materials and inspiration from the environment around us. No experience is needed and all materials, food and refreshments are provided. Sessions Wednesday 28 October – Seeing Differently: […]

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Community Making Space 11:33 am , October 7, 2026 Comments Off on Mid Week Makes – Autumn 2026
Clay Social, image credit: SSW

Clay Socials – Autumn 2026

A place where pottery meets the pub! Come and join us once a month from 6-8pm for an evening of getting together with neighbours and having fun with all things clay. This autumn we’ll be celebrating the abundance of beautiful clay vessels made during our summer sessions, exploring different ways to decorate and glaze them and bringing them to life with colour and surface. We’ll also be getting into the festive spirit with plenty of clay Christmas decorations to make, […]

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Community / Community Making Space 11:14 am , October 7, 2026 Comments Off on Clay Socials – Autumn 2026
Harriet in the Metal Workshop with artist residents, image credit: SSW

SSW Summer Technicians 2026

This Summer (and into Autumn) we are delighted to have been joined by Camille Biddell, Harriet Rose Morely and Sam Dransfield as Technicians during our busy period. Camille, Harriet and Sam are all highly skilled and technically brilliant artists and makers as well as truly generous in their approach to working with others. They have brought huge enthusiasm and new insight to SSW and have thrown themselves into all aspects of living and working here onsite.  Find out a bit more about Camille, […]

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Artists / News / Residencies / Residency / Residency 11:45 am , October 6, 2026 Comments Off on SSW Summer Technicians 2026
On the cliffs along the Moray Coast, image credit: Bao-Yin Hall

2026 Group Residency 2: In Pictures

It was wonderful to welcome artists Bao-Yin Hall, Danielle Macleod, Jo Matthews, Rudy Loewe, Shehzad Jaffer and Tamsin MacArthur to SSW in August, as our second cohort of artists selected for Group Residency 2026. Over the course of their month-long residency, the group had inductions and support in ceramics, metalwork, blacksmithing and stonework. Alongside developing their practices in the workshops & studio, the group took part in a collective programme including saunas, visits to local Pictish Stones, shared meals, BBQs, […]

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News 11:06 am , October 6, 2026 Comments Off on 2026 Group Residency 2: In Pictures
Caregivers Residency artists Olive, Shiori, Alicia and Belladonna, image credit: SSW

Caregivers Residency Blog: Olive Jones

Olive Jones, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May 2026. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words below by Olive Jones, images by Olive Jones and SSW. – It feels difficult to make my experience of SSW into something linear. Looking back at my time on residency, there was […]

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Artists / News / Residencies / Residency / Residency 10:59 am , October 6, 2026 Comments Off on Caregivers Residency Blog: Olive Jones
Image credit: SSW

October Holiday Kids Club 2026

Monday 19 – Wednesday 21 October 202610am-1.30pmFreeBooking essentialKids club is only open to people living in Lumsden, Honeybarrel, Mossat, Towie and Kildrummy. Come along to the Community Making Space this October and explore local legends and otherworlds with artist Danielle Macleod. Danielle is an artist from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland who takes inspiration from people, landscape, nature and traditional stories and myths. She creates otherworldly photographs and sculptures using natural materials gathered from land and sea. Over three days you’ll work […]

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Community Making Space 3:37 pm , September 24, 2026 Comments Off on October Holiday Kids Club 2026
Blacksmithing Induction with Technican Jimmy, image credit: SSW

2026 Group Residency 1: In Pictures

It was wonderful to welcome artists Alex Sarkisian (Scotland), Breanne Johnson (Mexico), Claye Bowler (England), Ocean Lorraine (USA) and Ruby Allen (Scotland) to SSW in June and July, as our first cohort of artists selected for Group Residency 2026. Over the course of their month-long residency, the group had inductions and support in ceramics, metalwork, blacksmithing and stonework. Alongside developing their practices in the workshops & studio, the group took part in a collective programme of walks, sauna, films night, […]

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News 11:41 am , August 31, 2026 Comments Off on 2026 Group Residency 1: In Pictures
Katie Schwab in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSW

Caregivers Residency Blog: Katie Schwab

Katie Schwab, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in February, April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words and images below by Katie Schwab. Final image by Mike Bolam. — My caregiving experience has been characterised by family illness, birth and death in close succession. This residency opened up a […]

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Artists / News / Residencies / Residency / Residency 5:33 pm , August 28, 2026 Comments Off on Caregivers Residency Blog: Katie Schwab
Image credit: Felicity Crawshaw

SSW Open Weekend 2026

We are excited to announce SSW’s Open Weekend 2026. Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 10am – 4pmDrop in making sessions: Saturday, 10am – 12 midday and 2pm – 4pm Come along to SSW and check out what some of our local artists and makers have been up to in the workshops. There will be an opportunity to meet a wide range of local artists, see some of our workshop spaces and take part in some relaxed making sessions in […]

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News 5:32 pm , August 28, 2026 Comments Off on SSW Open Weekend 2026
Shiori Usui in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSW

Caregivers Residency Blog: Shiori Usui

Shiori Usui, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words, images and video below by Shiori Usui. — Wow, what intense but magnificent days they were. Thinking back to the days I spent on the Caregiver’s Residency at Counterflows Festival and SSW, these […]

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Artists / News / Residencies / Residency / Residency 5:19 pm , July 31, 2026 Comments Off on Caregivers Residency Blog: Shiori Usui