The Wool Clip co-operative has welcomed its latest Spotlight guest, Viv Walker (26), an artist, woodworker and archaeologist from Bampton near Shap. A selection of Viv's work is now on display and for sale in The Wool Clip's Caldbeck shop.
"I met Viv through my son, Finn and she is the latest in a series of local artists and makers whose work has been exhibited in the shop," says Jean Wildish of The Wool Clip. "Her work celebrates skills that have been used in Cumbria for centuries and, although not using wool, there is a common thread of using traditional tools and materials to create items that are both beautiful and useful."
Viv's background spans fine art, heritage crafts and archaeology: "I began teaching myself green woodworking during my undergraduate degree," she explains. "The skills of ancient craftspeople continue to inspire me, whether it's through traditional hand-carving techniques or the replication of ancient spiral and knotwork decoration. My interest in archaeology and modern crafts has also led me to blend ancient techniques of shaping wood with axes and knives – all hand carving - with more modern designs to create elegant, often functional, homeware and decorative jewellery."
The range of Viv's work that is on sale includes functional kitchen and tableware alongside decorative jewellery. Her wooden spoons and bowls range from simple rustic spatulas for as little as £15 to coffee scoops (specially designed to fit in most coffee jars) and more complex eating and serving spoons. For her jewellery, Viv chooses beautifully featured wood and then fashions simple pendants that retail for as little as £12 alongside more skilfully carved, intricately patterned necklaces and brooches.
"I'm delighted to be displaying my work at The Wool Clip," she says. "The tactile and rustic nature of my practice blends seamlessly with that of traditional woollen skills and I am looking forward to reaching new customers for my work."