Joanne Kaar papermaker from Caithness, stayed for a week’s residency in Cromarty to work with children and young people on her “Message in a Bottle” project.

Working in conjunction with Artsplay Highland, Joanne visited Cromarty Primary, the Youth Club and Cromarty Action for Young People, creating images with face and hand-painting, beach photos and found objects for stunning effects which will all be part of a month-long exhibition at The Stables, Cromarty for July.

Children in Cromarty are duly excited as part of the project, 6 bottles with messages are to be thrown in to the sea. Joanne had tracked down Invergordon lifeboat to ask if they would oblige, then youthworker Wanda MacKay persuaded them to come to Cromarty Harbour to pick up a group of children and workers and to take the bottles out to sea. The launch is to take place on Monday 14th May at 6.30pm.

Joanne has led the project previously in Caithness, and a bottle reached the shore of Norway, making connections between children in schools.

All messages have been written by children in Cromarty in agreement with teachers and club leaders, the adults will be the main point of contact should a bottle be found. The bottles were originally beach rubbish and all materials used by Joanne are recycled.

We wish them luck!

The project was funded by the Crown Trust for Sea Cromarty Sparkle.

For further information please contact: Jelica@artsplayhighland.org.uk

See websites for details:

www.joannebkaar.com  
www.spanglefish.com/SeaCromartySparkle  
www.spanglefish.com/ArtsplayHighland  
www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk