V I S I T   R E P O R T S

Visit Reports should be emailed to  feedback@grampiandfas.org.uk


PITMUIES  GARDEN  AND  SCOTIA  SEEDS
Satuday 18th June 2011


Part of the lawn

A full turnout of members enjoyed an exciting visit to Pitmuies Garden and Scotia Seeds.  Helpful and expert advice at the garden was followed by more of the same at Scotia Seeds, where wildlife of all forms is the focus.  Outdoors there was a field walk and indoors wild flower seeds on sale and all kinds of information on flora and fauna.  Niall Benvie, natural history photographer was there to help amateur snappers (www.niallbenvie.com).










400  YEARS  OF  SCOTTISH  GLASS  MAKING
Thursday May 19th, Aberdeen Art Gallery.  Alison Fraser, Collections Curator



Alison points to a Paisley Pattern effect on a vase



A  GEORGIAN  WINE  VESSEL

Seredipity in Glass : a glass bottle was accidentally left in a kiln overnight.  In the morning, it had collapsed into the now
familiar ashtray shape prized by collectors.



THE  SCOTTISH  CHAIR


THE  SCOTTISH  CHAIR
On 26th March 2011 we visited Crathes Castle Workshop to hear DAVE HUTCHINSON talk on the History, Styles  Materials  and  Tools  in the making of CHAIRS in Scotland.  In its simplest form, a chair may be a piece of driftwood of a suitable shape, with legs added.  Three legs are common, where the floor of the dwelling was uneven.  The FORM of a chair would often depend on the particular craft of the maker.  A fisher might use a creel and add to it a back of the same material.  A maker of barrels might create a chair using his skills in shaping wood.  Various centres developed manufacturing techniques to turn out chairs in quantity to particular patterns, sold as items in a catalogue.  Components could later be made and sent out in 'kit' form to be assembled locally.
Dave also demonstrated how the various tools were used in working wood, with hands-on opportunities for his audience.
Another splendid afternoon out with GDFAS !






Supporting the SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND, GDFAS members visited Fyvie Castle.
We visited the stalls for some pre-Xmas shopping, toured the castle, and were treated to a fine lunch.  For me, the highlight of the day was listening to Ann Pelham-Brown (nee Forbes-Leith) tell us about her infancy, childhood and youth spent in and around the castle.  This was a fascinating journey back in time to meet life as it was lived in those pre-war and subsequent years amongst real local characters.
- Dave
13/10/10