Creating an impression

Create studio shop and café, situated beside the A9 Helmsdale, is just about to reach its 1^st birthday! Having enjoyed a positive start and good first season despite the doom and gloom of fuel price hikes and economy crashes; the shop is now gearing up for Christmas. The stock is carefully selected from a variety of designer makers and sources from not just Scotland but around the globe. The collection includes: handmade resin, silver, perspex, felt and cork jewellery; handwoven and handprinted scarves, bags and purses; handmade ceramics; hand made soaps, a range of toys, curios, gift items and a beautiful range of artists cards. Create also stocks the award winning Montezuma chocolate featuring combinations such as Dark Chocolate with Chilli and White Chocolate with Cinnamon.

The following customer comments, selected from the abundant positive feedback received in 2008, confirm just how worth a visit to Create is :'A much needed oasis on the A9;' 'The best coffee I've found the length of Scotland'; ' My favourite café; an unexpected gem -full of really interesting and unusual quality gifts.' 'Wonderful range of homemade treats; well worth a trip to Helmsdale. Great to find such choice and quality at such good prices'

The collection of textiles is handwoven by Rachel Skene. Rachel graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2001. Over the past few years Rachel combined her textile business, on a part time basis, with working in the heritage/art sector. In May 2008 Rachel decided to become fully self employed and hasn't looked back.  Although juggling the business side of Create with time for designing and making can be challenging, it is very satisfying to be able to channel previous experience and creative ability into developing and shaping this business. Rachel has been grateful to have previously received support from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise and more recently in 2007, was awarded the inaugural scholarship grant from The Incorporation of Glasgow Weavers. This scholarship and a grant from Hi-Arts supported the purchase of a computerised loom. This loom has the advantage of being more compact and the computerised mechanism allows for greater design capacity while retaining the hand woven quality of a studio loom. Rachel continues to exhibit work in galleries across the UK and hopes in 2009 to extend this to exhibiting at selling/trade shows. A piece of Rachel's work has recently been selected for the Highland Council Advent exhibition which will be opening in Inverness Museum and Gallery at the end of November.

Create is open all year. Winter hours are Thursday - Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5. You can check opening times before travelling at: www.createstudioshop.com or call Rachel on 01431821822.

BACKGROUND

Skene textiles @ Create

I graduated with a BA Hons: Fashion Textile degree from Glasgow School of Art in 2001 specialising in weave.

Following New Designers London, I was employed to design woven and embroidered fabrics for a design studio in Kolkata India. Thereafter I returned to Scotland and set up studio in a former bakehouse overlooking the Kyle of Tongue and Skene Textiles launched in December 2003. I have been fortunate to receive support from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprises, The Glasgow Corporation of Weavers and Hi-Arts.

I produce luxury hand woven fabrics and create fashion and interior accessories for retail and gallery outlets. Weaving on my 16 shaft dobby loom; I use mainly silk and viscose ribbon yarns.

I enjoy mixing pattern, colour and texture to produce my richly coloured weave which I then used to create my collection of lustrous eye-catching scarves, shoulder bags and tote bags with stitch detail. The collection of one-off designs and limited pieces form an exclusive range of quality accessories.

Create opened in December 2007. A haven for all those who appreciate interesting design/craft/art, good food and a fabulous view.

Watch this space for updates soon. 

Rachel Skene

create helmsdale sutherland scotland 

info@createstudioshop.com

01431821822

Couper Park, Helmsdale, Sutherland KW8 6HH