Unique to Òr: Exclusives in our Croft Garden Collection
For those who have been following our journey for a while now, you’ll know that we recently launched our Croft Garden collection on our online shop. This curation is a true labour of love which is inspired by our garden here on Skye and contains a number of thoughtfully handmade, exclusive pieces that are unique to Òr.
We caught up with a few of our makers and artists who were instrumental in creating these one-of-a-kind collaborations and breathing life into our new collection.
Hand-painted ceramics with Pantry Pots
We’ve worked alongside Veronika from Pantry Pots for some time now and, when we were brainstorming our new collection, we just knew that her painterly ceramics had to be included. ‘I had already started creating a collection of illustrated wall hangings, so when Òr approached me about making one for them that captured the beautiful landscape of the island, it felt like a natural fit. We shared a very similar vision from the beginning, which made the collaboration feel effortless. From there, it was simply a case of translating that shared idea into clay, creating a piece that reflected the character, textures and beauty of Skye,’ says Veronika.
This isn’t our first collaboration with Veronika; last year we created a set of gorse, thistle and rowan berry wall hangings and tableware as part of our Lùnastal and Christmas collections. It’s always a joy to work with Veronika, especially when our visions for new pieces align so perfectly. ‘What I love most about working with Òr is their genuine commitment to supporting local makers and celebrating the island through everything they create. They have a beautiful way of translating the landscape, culture and sense of place into thoughtful products and collaborations. They’re also the kindest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and collaborations have always felt very natural,’ Veronika explains.
There’s always something unique which draws a maker to their craft, and for Veronika it’s the liberty which comes with creating with clay. ‘Working with clay feels like freedom. It’s where I can express my creativity most naturally, without feeling restricted. Every day in the studio is different, whether I’m exploring a new idea, experimenting with form, or refining a technique. That constant sense of discovery is what keeps the process so exciting for me as a creative.’
Small-batch brass with Follow the Magpie
Follow the Magpie founder Kayla has a passion for creating beautiful brass pieces which are designed to be worn, collected and lived with. Her practice was originally born from her background in graphic design, where Kayla enjoyed the process of designing logos to distill a story, place or feeling into a single, memorable symbol. This way of thinking has been carried through to Follow the Magpie and underpins every piece Kayla has created in our Croft Garden collection.
Based in her Oxfordshire studio, Kayla worked closely with us to hand-draw and cut brooches and wall hangings from brass, each inspired by our garden on Skye. ‘Every piece began as one of my own hand-drawn illustrations before being transformed into an object for the home or to wear. Each design is created to have its own identity, inviting people to form a personal connection to the piece,’ says Kayla.
It’s not very often we come across a maker whose chosen medium is brass, so we wanted to know why Kayla was so drawn to this material. Kayla explains ‘I work predominantly in solid brass because I believe it's an incredibly underrated material. It has a beautiful warmth, develops character over time and can always be polished back to a bright finish. It's durable, versatile and made to age alongside the person wearing it.’
We asked Kayla why she was eager to work with Òr on this collaboration. ‘Supporting local design and independent businesses has always been an important part of my practice. Wherever possible, I like to collaborate with brands that champion craftsmanship and celebrate a strong sense of place. That's one of the reasons I was so excited to work with Òr. Their commitment to supporting Scottish makers and telling local stories aligns closely with my own values, making the collaboration feel like a natural fit,’ says Kayla.
Lino-cutting with Emma Reith
We’re always on the lookout for new makers and artists whose work deserves to be championed within our community — as soon as we saw the work of Cornwall based artist Emma Reith, we knew she was the perfect fit for Òr. Emma graduated with a BA in Illustration from Falmouth University and has been working in this field ever since. Her work is often inspired by where she lives in England, which encourages her love of learning about the plants and animals she encounters on her strolls around her local area.
Working with Emma has been such a joy, and we’re so glad she felt the same. ‘The Poppy Fields collaboration came about after Jen reached out to me a few months ago, but I initially found Òr on Instagram a few years ago and always admired the various artists they worked with — it’s a shop I know I’d love to visit and buy everything from! It felt like a really good fit for my work, with a lovely emphasis on craftsmanship, and lots of work inspired by nature,’ says Emma.
Lino-cutting is such a beautiful way of creating art, and Emma’s designs in particular are so thoughtful and intricate. We wanted to know what she loves about printmaking. ‘I work pretty much exclusively in lino cut. I love the physical nature of creating each print — carving it by hand, printing it by hand. You have to work within the limitations of the medium, which I always find makes me more creative and my work ultimately more visually interesting. I also love the history of printmaking, it’s a very old practice and it feels lovely to be able to continue that in my own way.’
You can shop the Croft Garden collection and discover more of Veronika, Kayla and Emma’s wonderful work on our online shop.
