Achnascan
Title: Achnascan
Size: 40 and 60cms wide x 240 cms high
Date: 2003
ACHNASCAN describes a walk from the valley floor up into the moorland and mountains of central Sutherland. It also describes the layers of history that survive on the surface of the land. In amongst the grouse butts and post-medieval field systems, the round houses and fortifications of the Iron Age and walls from the Bronze Age can still be seen. The peaty water reflecting a deep blue sky spirals into Pictish forms, the rough geometry of modern plantations overlays meandering older settlements. Achnascan is an amalgam of two place names. Achnacoil and Rinscan. Ruined villages, they face each other across a river gorge, as I walk I wonder how these people got across the river to each other. The design is in two parts for this reason....a landscape linked but divided. Whilst designing, I was also thinking about how the landscape divides itself up into zones, like bands of colour in a plaid....river pasture, pine plantation, bog, moor, high pasture, mountain. Finally I was thinking simply of abstract bands of colour which describe my experience of walking in that landscape in early winter.