In this podcast, Sandy Wood, Head of Collections at the Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture (RSA) leads artists Erin McQuarrie and Ella Williams in a conversation about their work and their experiences in Orkney while taking part in the RSA Residencies for Scotland programme in 2024/5 and 2026 respectively.
Royal Scottish Academy Residencies for Scotland programme is supported by the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust and the RSA W. Gordon Smith & Jay Gordonsmith Trust. This podcast is part of RSA200: Celebrating Together commemorating the bicentenary of RSA.
Erin McQuarrie in the Wilhelmina Barns Graham Studio, Linkshouse, Birsay
Ella Williamsn in the Erlend Willamson Studio, Linkshouse, Birsay
Currently on display: Erin McQuarrie - The Scale of Things
Some notes regarding the conversation
Sailing egg shells:
You can read about the egg shell sailing trowies in Tom Muir ‘The Mermaid’s Bride and Other Orkney Folk Tales, 25th Anniversary Addition’, Orkney, Orcadian Ltd, 2023
Fowl from trees:
The Orcadian duck tree story is explained by Peter Marshall in ‘Storms Edge’, where the author outlines the contested origins of the story in the context of the tree illustration in the Carta Marina (1539), referenced here:
Peter Marshall, ‘Storms Edge’, London, Harper Collins, 2024, p21
A clipping detailing the origin of the barnacle goose as sprung from Orcadian trees can also be found in the folklore notes from the Ernest Walker Marwick Collection at the Orkney Library and Archive in Kirkwall, reference number D31/1/6/20. I believe that the extract Marwick has in his notes was in turn taken from John Gerards 1597 book ‘The Herball’- The Royal Collection Trust holds a copy of this from 1636- referenced here:
John Gerarde ‘The Herball, or, Generall historie of plantes’, ed. Thomas Johnson. London, Adam Islip, Joice Norton & Richard Whitakers (printers), 1636
Details about the book, can be found on the Royal Collection Trust website here:
https://www.rct.uk/collection/1057467/the-herball-or-generall-historie-of-plantes
Margaret Tait diaries:
Margaret Tait’s dairies are held at the Orkney Library and Archive in Kirkwall, the collection is extensive and held under the reference D7. The diary referred to that contains a tomato chutney recipe is held under the reference number D97/27/2/1, and dates from 1985-6.