Weaving Ghosts
Ghost gear is the term given to discarded nets, ropes and other objects that float about in the oceans trapping marine life and endangering shipping. Large quantities of this stuff drifts onto the beaches of Shetland. Working with these materials allows me to draw attention to the problems they cause and to explore their potential. My Shetland family and the ghostly remains of the Shetland basket tradition are also an important inspiration for this body of work.
Lois Walpole
Shetland, Scotland
Spunes, Lois WalpoleLarge ladles made from floats and an oar
Buoy Bags, Lois WalpoleHand bags made from found buoys, rope, a crab cage hook, floats and a catch from an old bag.
Part of North Atlantic Drift installation, Lois WalpoleBaskets made from materials gathered on the beaches of Yell, one of the larger Shetland Islands.