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Celtic
craft
today
is
a
dynamic
and
creative
field.
A
thriving
community
of
craftspeople
are
creating
new
work
that
draws
on
Pictish
stones,
early
medieval
illuminated
manuscripts
and
ornate
metalwork.
The
vitality
of
Celtic
craft
owes
much
to
the
pioneering
work
of
George
Bain
(1881-1968).
Since
they
were
first
published
in
1945,
Bain’s
how-to
books
have
encouraged
craftspeople
to
make
new
work
in
a
Celtic
style.
Crafting
the
Celtic
brings
examples
of
21st-century
Celtic
craft
inspired
by
Bain
together
with
Bain’s
archive.
Each
craftsperson
works
in
a
medium
in
which
Bain
also
worked:
woodcarving,
painting
and
knitting
design.
The
work
of
each
craftsperson
realises
Bain’s
vision
of
a
living,
creative
Celtic
craft
in
a
different
way.
50
years
after
Bain’s
death,
the
work
of
these
contemporary
craftspeople
shows
his
continuing
influence
on
crafting
not
only
the
objects,
but
also
our
ideas
about
Celtic
design.
Click
on
the
picture
to
the
right
to
start
your
tour,
or
click
on
the
overview
of
the
exhibition
to
your
left
to
navigate
your
own
way
around
Crafting
the
Celtic
the
legacy
of
George
Bain
50
years
on
This
exhibition
would
not
have
been
possible
withoutthe
help
of
the
following
people:
Alison
Boyle;
Anneliese
Peebles
Gonzalez;
Carol
Christiansen;
Cynthia
Thickpenny;
Frances
Davis;
Helen
Avenell;
Kate
Mathis;
Lucy
Hague;
Lynn
Abrams;
Malcolm
Farrow;
Thomas
Keyes;
Victoria
Whitworth;
and
members
of
the
Groam
House
Museum
reading
group
and
volunteer
team.
Thank
you
all.
Jo
Clements,
Exhibition
Curator
Leave
exhibition
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Groam
House
Museum
is
a
Scottish
Charitable
Incorporated
Organisation
Celtic
Art:
the
Methods
of
Construction
George
Bain
is
best
known
today
for
his
book
Celtic
Art:
The
Methods
of
Construction.
He
aimed
to
show
everyone
how
to
draw
Celtic
designs.
Bain
was
captivated
by
intricate
Pictish
stones,
early
medieval
illuminated
manuscripts
and
ornate
metalwork.
He
made
detailed
drawings
of
tiny
motifs
and
showed
how
they
could
be
drawn
in
a
series
of
simple
steps.
He
hoped
that
by
breaking
the
process
down
into
steps,
others
would
be
able
to
create
new
Celtic
designs.
Bain
carefully
recorded
the
designs
and
then
brought
together
similar
patterns
from
different
places
and
crafts.
Today,
we
can
easily
see
images
of
Pictish
sculpture
and
illuminated
manuscripts
online.
But
craftspeople
still
use
Bain’s
drawings
as
a
way
to
understand
the
original
early
medieval
work.
Back
to
introduction
Display
area
1
Audio
stations
Stairs
display
area
-
carpet
Display
area
3
Alcove
(display
area
2)
Display
case
Display
area
4
Centre
display
-
work
by
modern
craftspeople
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Display
case
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Use
the
mouse
to
browse
through
the
panorama
of
the
exhibition
above,
or
use
the
map
to
the
left
-
click
on
the
black
bars
to
select
items
for
closer
view
Leave
exhibition
Celtic
Art:
the
Methods
of
Construction
George
Bain
is
best
known
today
for
his
book
Celtic
Art:
The
Methods
of
Construction.
He
aimed
to
show
everyone
how
to
draw
Celtic
designs.
Bain
was
captivated
by
intricate
Pictish
stones,
early
medieval
illuminated
manuscripts
and
ornate
metalwork.
He
made
detailed
drawings
of
tiny
motifs
and
showed
how
they
could
be
drawn
in
a
series
of
simple
steps.
He
hoped
that
by
breaking
the
process
down
into
steps,
others
would
be
able
tocreate
new
Celtic
designs.
Bain
carefully
recorded
the
designs
and
then
brought
together
similar
patterns
from
different
places
and
crafts.
Today,
we
can
easily
see
images
of
Pictish
sculpture
and
illuminated
manuscripts
online.
But
craftspeople
still
use
Bain’s
drawings
as
a
way
to
understand
the
original
early
medieval
work.
Back
to
overview
Greetings
card
inspired
by
incised
horse
from
Inverurie
Innovation
and
tradition
Traditional
past
and
modern
future
Illustration
of
how
to
create
the
complex
design
of
the
interlace
cross
on
the
Pictish
stone
from
Ulbster
Bain’s
illustration
of
detail
from
Book
of
Kells
Move
mouse
over
the
display
above
for
information
on
each
item.
Click
on
an
item
to
see
it
on
more
detail.
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
You
are
here
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Display
case
Making
with
materials
In
his
Celtic
design
books
and
articles,
George
Bain
continually
encouraged
people
to
apply
Celtic
design
to
craftwork.
Bain
imagined
ordinary
people
making
everyday
objects
that
they
could
use
in
their
homes.
He
worked
with
needlework
and
woodwork
teachers
so
that
school
children
could
make
Celtic
design
items
in
their
lessons.
The
objects
made
by
his
family
and
pupils
reflect
the
crafts
that
were
popular
at
the
time.
In
his
books
and
articles,
Bain
often
gave
a
list
of
crafts
in
which
any
Celtic
design
could
be
made.
Yet
in
his
own
craftwork
he
carefully
chose
patterns
and
motfis
that
were
well
suited
to
specific
materials.
Sometimes
he
had
to
make
decisions
to
overcome
the
limitations
of
the
craft
he
was
working
in.
Occasionally
he
even
had
to
make
innovative
materials
and
techniques
to
make
his
designs.
Back
to
overview
Table
cloth
with
“beard
pullers”
design
"Celtic
Art”
article
College
of
Celtic
Cultures
certificate
Descriptive
panel
Key
pattern
knitting
design
Celtic
designs
on
bowls
Move
mouse
over
the
display
above
for
information
on
each
group
of
item;
click
on
an
item
to
see
it
in
more
detail.
Use
the
mouse
to
browse
the
map
of
the
exhibition
to
the
right
-
click
on
the
black
bars
to
select
items
for
closer
view
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
You
are
here
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Display
case
Display
Case
Back
to
overview
Knitting
pattern
for
Peggy
Macdonald
Key
patterns
booklet
Designs
for
poetry
collection
Casket
of
friendship
design
Move
mouse
over
the
case
above
for
detail
of
each
item;
click
on
items
to
see
more
detail.
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
You
are
here
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Display
case
Exhibition
area
-
shelved
alcove
Back
to
overview
Knitted
child’s
jumper
Painted
bowl
Box
with
linograved
lid
Move
mouse
over
the
display
above
for
summary
of
each
item;
click
on
the
item
to
see
more
detail.
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
You
are
here
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Display
case
Centre
display
Use
the
mouse
to
browse
the
map
of
the
exhibition
to
the
right
-
click
on
the
black
bars
to
select
items
for
closer
view
Back
to
overview
Celtic
art
and
graffiti
by
Thomas
Keyes
Carving
by
Anneliese
Peebles
Gonzalez
Shawls
by
Lucy
Hague
Move
mouse
over
the
displays
above
for
title
of
each
item;
click
on
items
to
see
detail.
Audio
exhibits
-
the
craftspeople
talking
Centre
display
Display
area
1
-
start
here
Display
area
3
You
are
here
Display
area
4
Landing
display
-
Carpet
Alcove
exhibits
(display
area
2)
Stairs
down
Display
case
WELCOME
TO
GROAM
HOUSE
MUSEUM
The
downstairs
exhibition
to
your
left
focuses
on
the
Picts
of
Rosemarkie.
From
the
700s
AD
onwards,
the
centre
for
Christianity
for
the
Inner
Moray
Firth
was
in
this
area.
Upstairs,
our
“The
Impact
of
World
War
I
on
Rosemarkie,
Fortrose
and
Avoch”
reveals
the
results
of
new
research
by
local
participants
on
how
the
war
affected
people
locally.
Also
in
the
museum
is
our
shop,
which
includes
a
well-selected
range
of
gifts
and
crafts
at
a
range
of
prices,
and
a
wide
range
of
books
on
the
Picts,
Scottish
history
and
Celtic
art.
We
are
an
independent
museum,
staffed
by
volunteers,
and
dependent
on
donations
and
sales
to
keep
going.
Please
support
us.
Exhibition
of
Pictish
stones
Museum
shop
Attendant
desk
Donations
box
Museum
shop
(books)
Upstairs
to
exhibition
Welcome
panel
Use
the
mouse
to
browse
through
the
panorama
of
the
exhibition
above,
or
use
the
map
to
the
left.
Leave
exhibition
Leave
exhibition
OUR
BOOK
AND
GIFT
SHOP
Before
you
leave……
Don’t
forget
to
have
a
look
at
our
selection
of
books
relating
to
local
history
and
heritage,
the
works
of
George
Bain,
Celtic
art
and
the
history
of
the
Picts
and
of
Scotland.
In
our
shop
you
will
find
lots
of
relevant
gifts
at
a
wide
range
of
prices
-
from
postcards
to
pieces
of
jewellery
and
hand
crafted
items.
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Back
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Large
Celtic
designs
like
this
one
were
hung
around
Bain’s
classroom.
In
the
Book
of
Kells,
this
design
is
only
a
few
centimetres
across.
The
drawing
on
display
here
is
many
times
larger
than
the
original.
Increasing
the
size
allowed
Bain’s
pupils
to
see
and
understand
the
complex
detail
of
the
design.
Detail
of
one
of
the
panels
from
the
eight-circled
cross
page
of
the
Book
of
Kells
(folio
33r)
Ballpoint
pen
and
colour
crayon
on
paper
George
Bain
ROMGH.1998.1.3
Click
on
the
picture
to
return
to
overview
or
click
on
arrow
to
go
to
previous
picture
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Back
Click
on
the
picture
or
arrow
to
progress
to
the
next
picture
This
interlace
cross
appears
on
the
Pictish
stone
from
Ulbster
(now
in
Caithness
Horizons,
Thurso).
Bain
shows
how
to
draw
the
complex
design
in
5
easy
steps.
Like
most
of
Bain’s
“how-to”
drawings,
there
is
very
little
writing.
The
reader
has
to
look
carefully
at
the
pictures
of
each
stage
to
work
out
how
to
draw
the
design
themselves.
Stages
of
drawing
the
cross
found
on
the
Ulbster
stone
1937
Pen
on
paper
George
Bain
ROMGH.2006.9
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Back
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Bain
based
the
design
at
the
centre
of
this
card
on
the
horse
on
the
Pictish
stone
at
Inverurie.
He
copied
some
of
the
style
of
the
original
carving,
such
as
the
scrolls
on
the
horse’s
belly.
But
he
made
the
horse
much
more
realistic.
He
made
similar
changes
to
the
horses
on
the
‘hunting’
rug
also
shown
in
this
exhibition.
Greetings
card
inspired
by
incised
horse
from
Inverurie
George
Bain
ROMGH.1998.139.5
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Back
Innovation
and
Tradition
George
Bain
was
always
trying
to
strike
a
balance
between
staying
true
to
early
medieval
design
and
being
innovative.
In
his
work
there
is
often
a
tension
between
the
idea
that
Celtic
design
is
a
folk
art
and
the
idea
that
it
could
be
modern.
Bain
stressed
the
importance
of
deep
understanding
of
the
style
of
early
medieval
art.
He
was
critical
of
19th-
and
20th-century
artists
and
scholars
whom
he
felt
had
not
studied
the
work
closely
enough.
At
the
same
time,
Bain
strongly
believed
that
craftspeople
should
be
innovative
and
should
use
Celtic
art
on
modern
objects.
Bain
lamented
the
loss
of
a
tradition
of
Celtic
design.
He
knew
that
he
was
aiming
to
revive
an
art
that
was
no
longer
passed
down
from
one
generation
to
the
next.
In
creating
a
new
movement,
Bain
had
to
decide
how
much
to
look
back
to
the
past
and
balance
this
with
looking
towards
the
future.
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Bain’s
designs
appeared
in
contexts
that
aimed
to
portray
both
a
traditional
past
and
a
modern
Scottish
future.
There
is
a
sleek,
modern
feel
to
the
Coates
exhibition
stand
(two
screens
ahead).
This
contrasts
with
the
display
of
Bain's
designs
outside
a
heather-thatched
cottage
depicted
here.
The
thatch
and
the
spinning
wheel
symbolise
the
past,
despite
the
fashionable
1950s
clothing
styles.
Photograph
of
an
exhibition
of
George
Bain’'81fs
Celtic
designs
outside
a
thatched
cottage.
Exhibition
unknown
ROMGH.1998.61
Back
Click
on
the
picture
to
progress
to
the
next
image
or
use
the
left/right
arrows
to
go
back/forward
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Bain’s
designs
appeared
in
contexts
that
aimed
to
portray
both
a
traditional
past
and
a
modern
Scottish
future.
Photographs
of
Bain’s
Celtic
designs
in
an
exhibition
for
Coates,
manufacturers
of
embroidery
threads.
Exhibition
unknown
ROMGH.1998.54
Back
Click
on
the
picture
to
progress
to
the
next
image
or
use
the
left/right
arrows
to
go
back/forward
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Photograph
of
Bain’s
Celtic
designs
in
an
exhibition
for
Coats,manufacturers
of
embroidery
threads.
Exhibition
unknown
GHM.2019.1
Back
Click
on
the
picture
to
move
to
next
panel
in
sequence
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
“Hunting
Rug”
A
stamp
on
the
reverse
shows
that
this
example
was
used
on
the
Cunard
cruise
ship
RMS
Samaria.
Designed
by
George
Bain
and
made
by
Quayle
&
Tranter
Ltd,
Kidderminster.
ROMGH.2012.3.1
Back
Click
on
the
picture
to
move
to
next
panel
in
sequence
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Photographs
of
Bain’s
Celtic
designs
in
an
exhibition
for
Coates,
manufacturers
of
embroidery
threads.
Exhibition
unknown
GHM.2019.1
Back
Click
on
the
picture
to
move
to
next
panel
in
sequence
Move
mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Painted
bowl
Bain
strongly
believed
that
people
should
learn
to
draw
Celtic
designs
and
then
use
them
in
different
crafts.
However,
he
usually
left
ideas
about
how
to
apply
Celtic
design
to
craft
to
the
creativity
of
the
craftsperson.
His
instructions
on
drawing
Celtic
designs
on
bowls
are
one
of
the
few
exceptions.
Painted
bowl
George
Bain
R
OMGH.1998.97
Back
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on
the
picture
to
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to
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in
sequence
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mouse
over
magnifying
glass
to
enlarge
or
reduce
picture.
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
See
also
exhibit
showing
Bain’s
instructions
for
designs
on
bowls
on
main
wall
-
click
here
to
see
it
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Linograving
Celtic
design
led
Bain
to
introduce
a
new
craft
technique,
which
he
called
“linograving”.
Using
linoleum
(lino)
blocks
to
make
prints
was
already
popular.
But
Bain
used
carved
panels
of
lino
to
decorate
objects
instead.
Making
the
panels
was
far
easier
than
carving
wood.
Despite
Bain’s
efforts,
linograving
does
not
seem
to
have
been
widely
adopted.
Wooden
box
with
linograved
lid
Wood,
linoleum
(lino),
paint
Maker
unknown,
possibly
one
of
Bain’s
pupils
ROMGH.2011.16.1
Back
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magnifying
glass
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enlarge
or
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picture.
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on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
For
Bain’s
painted
pattern
for
this
jumper
see
exhibit
on
wall
-
click
here
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Child’s
jumper
Bain’s
knitting
patterns
tend
to
focus
on
key
pattern
and
angular
spirals.
This
may
have
been
because
these
types
of
pattern
can
be
easily
laid
out
on
a
grid
pattern.
When
Bain’s
daughter,
Claire,
knitted
the
jumper,
she
used
a
fine
yarn
so
that
from
a
distance
the
stepped
diagonals
appear
to
be
smooth
lines.
Child’s
jumper
with
all-over
spiral
design.
Knitted
by
Claire
Lomnicki
(nee
Bain)
ROMGH.2010.1
Back
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the
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magnifying
glass
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or
reduce
picture.
Click
on
the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around
Overview
of
exhibition
layout
Celtic
designs
on
bowls
Bain
strongly
believed
that
people
should
learn
to
draw
Celtic
designs
and
then
use
them
in
different
crafts.
However,
he
usually
left
ideas
about
how
to
apply
Celtic
design
to
craft
to
the
creativity
of
the
craftsperson.
His
instructions
on
drawing
Celtic
designs
on
bowls
are
one
of
the
few
exceptions.
Plates
5
and
6
of
Celtic
Knotwork
Borders
Pen
and
ink
on
paper
George
Bain
ROMGH.2006.192
Back
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magnifying
glass
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the
overview
to
take
a
wide
view
of
the
exhibition
space
and
navigate
around