Amy Neville
Having grown up on the shores of Loch Long and Loch Fyne I became at home with the wild outdoors as a child, making daisy chains, collecting shells and going for adventures exploring the surrounding countryside.
It was hardly a surprise then that when I went to Glasgow School of Art to study textile design, my inspirations were always from nature and using natural materials. I specialised in weaving, creating art wall hangings inspired by looking closely at plant structures and incorporating yarns made from things like sweetcorn leaves, pine needles and artichoke seeds.
I was then incredibly lucky to find an opportunity to volunteer for a year in a Camphill Community. I learnt a great deal whilst there, not just about living and working with those who have additional needs, ( which I found out I loved to do,) but also about many traditional crafts and the importance of the connection between head, heart and hands. The warm and caring colleagues I met there enthusiastically shared their knowledge and skills with me.
It was an amazing foundation for me and my aim in life since then has been to emulate those colleagues by creating workshops which provide the space, time, tools and facilitation needed for students to be able to reach their full potential, just as I had experienced that year.
For several years I worked as a freelance Workshop Tutor and Artist and travelled the length and breadth of Scotland offering workshops to schools, museums, festivals, art groups, charities, and the general public. My own art was made using pressed leaves and flowers collected from both private and botanical gardens where I exhibited my canvases, lighting, cast glass and mobiles. I wanted to share with others how beautiful the humble leaf can be when seen very closely in a new context.
Before starting with Naturally Useful I trained and worked as an Art Therapist and later as a Forest School leader and have worked in many different places, with the common theme of working together with people, being creative and using natural materials.
Over the years, many of my happiest memories come from when I was a Weaving Workshop Leader, working with children and adults who have additional support needs. Some of my favourite craft techniques to teach include Batik, Shibori, natural dyeing, papermaking, flax weaving, tapestry weaving, felting, screen printing, rag rugging and lino printing.
I look forward to sharing my skills and experience with others while continuing to learn new crafts and techniques at Naturally Useful.