| Eri Hayashi came to Scotland from Tokyo two years ago. Whilst her husband worked, Eri enrolled in English classes at the language school in which Heather used to teach. A former colleague suggested that Eri might improve her English by taking up a new skill and so, in April 2015, Eri’s feltmaking adventures began. In Tokyo, Eri had always been interested in making things by hand, attending classes in pottery. She particularly enjoyed working with textures. Over the past 18 months, Eri has learned the language of feltmaking: how to work with wool, how to make 2D and 3D pieces, how to combine colour and texture. Through the workshops, she has developed a new relationship with Heather Potten - teacher and mentor - and a new confidence in her abilities. Eri has made three bags for the exhibition. After a 2-day workshop, she became curious about the design challenges of making a functional item. For these three pieces, she has considered what she will take back to Japan for her mother, her sister and herself as presents, as mementos of her time in Scotland and her development as a feltmaker. |  |
