Belladonna sgraffitoing onto a ceramic work, image credit: SSWBelladonna Paloma, 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. The 2026 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency Open Call is live from 30 April and the deadline for applications is Friday 12 June 2026, midday. Words and images below by Belladonna Paloma. — The […]
Detail of Jess working on a ceramics piece, image credit: SSWEach month we are sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners. We support people who are keen to develop their ceramics skills and knowledge with regular workshop […]
Dylan Esposito, Without Words, 2024. Image credit: Finn Rabbitt Dove.We are delighted to announce that Dylan Esposito has been selected by SSW for the RSA Residencies for Scotland programme. Through this Dylan will undertake a 4 week residency and our metal fabrication course. RSA Residencies for Scotland is a scheme which provides valuable research and development opportunities for visual artists. It forges important networks with centres of artistic excellence across Scotland, ranging from traditional residency venues to specialised production facilities. In response to recieving the award, Dylan says:I’m incredibly excited […]
2026 is the 6th year of the SSW and Counterflows collaboration, offering vital residency opportunities to Scotland based artists who are also caregivers. We are delighted to offer 4 Fully Funded Residencies in 2026, thanks to generous support of the William Grant Foundation and Creative Scotland. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency offers: This residency recognises that the care of others is central to the collective survival of our world yet is deeply undervalued within our society. This is often […]
Alicia handbuilding in the Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWAlicia Matthews, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here in March and April with a recorded spoken excerpt of writing and images of work made on residency below. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. The 2026 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency Open Call is live from 30 April and the deadline for applications is Friday […]
Glass fusing with Hazel MacLennan, image credit: SSWFrom late January to April 2026, as winter settled in, the Community Making Space here at SSW continued to offer a place for people to gather, make, and spend time together. We worked closely with our Community Advisers to shape the programme, building on what we had learned in the previous season and introducing changes in response to this. These included longer two part sessions and a continued focus on outdoor, seasonal activity. Despite, or because of, the colder weather, […]
Donnah and Ceramics Technican Amy at a pit firing, image credit: SSWEach month we are sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people both artists and makers with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners, and are keen to develop their ceramics skills and knowledge with regular […]
Glaze Intensive, image credit: SSW
Co-Director Sam returns from delivering Community Fridge items out in Lumsden, image credit: SSWIt has been 18 months since Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) provided us with one of their e-cargo bikes, giving our staff team, artists, and local community an easy, emission-free way to travel and transport items around the village. Over the past year and a half, the bike has become a well-used part of life at SSW and a shared resource in and around Lumsden. It has supported everything from practical site tasks to community activities and village events. The […]
Thrawn Pots pit firing at SSW, image credit: SSWOver the next few months we will be sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people both artists and makers with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners, and are keen to develop their ceramics skills […]
Scottish Charity Number: SC003223