One Year On
As A Tapestry of Connection comes to the end of its Creative Scotland supported phase, I have found myself reflecting on just how much this project has evolved over the past year. What began in April last year with initial VACMA support has developed into something far richer, broader, and more connected than I could have imagined.
The project became increasingly centred around connection, participation, and shared creative experiences, particularly through working alongside two non-verbal autistic adults. Spending time together making, observing, and communicating in different ways shaped the direction of the work profoundly. The project became not only about producing artwork, but about creating space for exchange, trust, and collaborative experience.
I became a member of Highland Print Studio, where I was able to spend concentrated time exploring and refining my photopolymer printmaking techniques.
The final stages of the project brought another important collaboration through working with Corinna at Sollas Bookbinding. Bringing together the prints, collaborative imagery, and collected material into artist books felt like the natural culmination of the project. The process of constructing the books quite literally mirrored the ideas behind A Tapestry of Connection — pulling together different threads, experiences, people, and processes into one connected whole.
Looking back, this project has been an enormous learning journey. It has expanded my technical skills, and opened up new ways of thinking about collaboration, socially engaged practice, and printmaking. Along the way I have met and worked with many generous, talented, and inspiring people, forming new friendships and creative connections.
Work in Progress: Larger Photopolymer Prints
Alongside the collaborative elements of A Tapestry of Connection, I have continued to develop a body of larger-scale photopolymer prints as part of my individual studio practice. These works are separate from the collaborative workshops and have been developed independently through ongoing research, technical experimentation, and printmaking processes. I have prepared eight photopolymer plates and am currently exploring colour, layering, and printing techniques. The works remain in progress, and these images represent an early stage in their development.
Nicola Neate 