Weaving workshop short breaks in Argyll

Private weaving tuition in Kilmartin Glen with Louise Oppenheimer

Creating is an empowering and rewarding way of spending time. The ancient art of tapestry weaving with its particular sense of rhythm requires us to slow down and allows us feel that creative flow. We’ve created an opportunity for you to learn this art in a 2-day private workshop with weaving artist Louise Oppenheimer. Her studio is in Kilmartin Glen, which has been described as one of the best hidden gems. Not only is the Glen stunningly beautiful, it is also home to some of the best Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Britain.

At a glance

Activity: Hand loom weaving, tapestry weaving
Tutor: Louise Oppenheimer
Duration: 2 full days of tuition, 3 overnight stays
Location: Kilmartin Glen and Lochgilphead, Argyll in the West of Scotland
Traditional B&B accommodation
Price: £660* per person, based on two sharing a room
Group size: 2-3 guests
Suitable for any artistic skill level

*2023 price: £660 per person / 2024 price: £710 per person

Details

Your workshop and tutor – Louise Oppenheimer

The workshop tutor Louise Oppenheimer is an artist whose commitment to the medium of hand weaving has allowed her reputation to grow steadily. She runs workshops from her bright and airy studio in Kilmartin Glen. You can learn more about Louise and see examples of her work on her profile page.

The creative inspiration for the designs comes from the weather through the seasons, the water, rocky shorelines and ever changing light. The workshop is an introduction to weaving skills on wooden frames, which are available for purchase at the end of the session. The workshop is suitable for beginners as well as advanced weavers.

The simple idea of pulling weft through warp demands patience, but in a world where speed counts for so much I encourage the notion that weaving provides a simple gauge of time in the hours, days and weeks spent transforming strands of wool into a consolidated design. {Louise Oppenheimer}

The location – Kilmartin Glen

Kilmartin Glen is located between Oban and Lochgilphead in the west of Scotland. The area spans 5,000 years with a multitude of cairns, standing stones, carved rock, stone circles, forts and castles. Kilmartin Glen is considered to have one of the most important concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland and has just been named as one of the New York Times’ 52 top places to go in 2023.

There are more than 350 ancient monuments within a six mile radius of the village, with 150 of them being prehistoric. Monuments include standing stones, a henge monument, numerous cists, and a ‘linear cemetery’ comprising five burial cairns. The remains of the fortress of the Scots at Dunadd, a royal centre of Dal Riata, are located to the south of the glen, on the edge of the Moine Mhòr or Great Moss.

Your accommodation is at a nearby traditional Bed & Breakfast. Each of the rooms is en-suite and the owners will prepare tasty lunches for you to take on your workshop days.   

Although transport during the workshop can be arranged, we recommend you bring a car so you can make the most of exploring the beautiful part of the world before and after the art break.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at your Bed & Breakfast. Start exploring the area at your leisure. We’ll have recommendations for places to eat.

Days 2 & 3 – The weaving workshop will run from 10am to around 4pm including a lunch break, but Louise is flexible if you wish to start or finish earlier or later.

Day 4 – Departure day. No doubt you’ll be planning your next short break!

Additional workshop and accommodation days can be arranged.

Pricing

The price for this experience is £660 per person, based on two guests sharing a twin or double room. Here’s what’s included in the package price:

– 2 full days of private tuition
– Workshop materials incl. wooden frames
– 3 nights accommodation at a nearby B&B (sharing a twin or double room)
– 3 breakfasts
– 2 packed lunches
– Detailed pre-travel information, including insider recommendations of things to do and see
– Welcome gift
– Wild at Art service fee

So…let us us know your preferred dates for a weaving short break in Kilmartin Glen using the link below. We’ll get back to you with info on availability as soon as we can.

Enquire now

The workshop with Louise was fantastic. We loved the whole experience, the practical aspect of the workshop covered any level of experience. We were delighted to get frames and wool so that we could complete our weaving at home. Louise was comfortable to be around and she made us very welcome in her beautiful workspace. {Denise, South of Scotland, August 2022}