By Bernie Bell

There’s so much there, and such variety, that it would be hard to cover it all, so I’ll go with what particularly ‘caught my eye’ – purely personal preferences.

I am a big fan of Michael Sinclair, or maybe I should say, of his work.   https://michael-sinclair-woodturner.co.uk/work

All his works are, well, objects of beauty and desire, are the words which come to mind.  I like wood, I like things made of wood – and he does it all so beautifully. When Eoin Leonard retired, I was sorry to think that there wouldn’t be a wood–turner on Orkney, then Michael Sinclair came to the fore. And so, I was very pleased to see his work included in this year’s Pier Arts Centre Christmas exhibition.

 http://www.pierartscentre.com/

Lovely things – really, lovely things. I keep meaning to go and visit his studio, and, after much deliberation, I have decided to buy a carved ball with concentric circles carved into it – replicating one of the ancient carved stone balls, as shown here…… https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/07/24/conversations-with-magic-stones/

I have thought there might have been carved wooden objects, in the distant past, which have rotted away – same purpose as the stones, lighter and easier to transport – but which are long gone. And then, The Amazing Carruthers and his team, discovered a wooden bowl at The Cairns dig     https://archaeologyorkney.com/category/the-cairns-dig-diary-2018/  which opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Sorry,  I was drifting into archaeology there, but…well….Michael Sinclair’s work, does take me down that road. His wooden bowl, has ‘repairs’, reflecting the repairs on the Iron Age Bowl

Amanda Seatter’s ‘Time Passages’, takes us through deeper time, following the layers of material laid down in the very distant past, which then became stratified rock – Geology – everything is based on geology.  It’s a bit of time travel, and very pleasing to look at, too.

And so, we move forward through time, to the Pier Arts Centre Exhibition, Christmas 2018

I have a liking  for round things, and for shiny things, so Joanne Holdinga’s set of woven copper pieces, caught my eye – in particular,  the one entitled ‘Poppy’, which, to me would make a good ‘Happy Sun Return‘ card, for the 21st December.

Joanne mostly weaves willow   http://www.orkneyartsandcrafts.com/rural-horizons/   and now, she’s weaving copper – could be said to be moving from the age of stone and wood, to the age of metal?

There’s lots more – in fact, it was a bit over-whelming – hard to take it all in. I went round once, then I went round again, then I went back to my particular favourites, or to those I didn’t feel I  had looked at ‘properly.’

Jeanne Bouza-Rose’s two subtle little water colours, mark a change of style for Jeanne, who is known for her big, strong canvases, and her work with the more subdued Provincetown Print method.  These two, new pictures came as a bit of a surprise to me, and will probably be a bit of a surprise to other folk who are familiar with her previous style/s.  I didn’t take a photo – I don’t know why! Maybe it makes it more intriguing, and tempts you to go and have a look for yourself?

The exhibition is open from 10.30 am to 5 pm, until Saturday 22^nd December, and all the art-work is for sale.

Some say that one of the best things in the Pier Arts Centre, is the view from the Pier Arts Centre – and that’s always there!