Hoxa Tapestry Gallery

Name: Hoxa Tapestry Gallery
Address: St Margarets Hope, Kirkwall, KW172TW, GB
Telephone: +441856831395

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Hoxa Tapestry Gallery

Hoxa Tapestry Gallery The Gallery was originally built by Leila and husband Benny to exhibit Leila’s large, unique, handwoven tapestries.

The Hoxa Tapestry Gallery is a family run business run by artist Jo Thomson and her brother Andrew, established by their late mother, artist Leila Thomson in 1996. Leila graduated in Tapestry from Edinburgh College of Art in 1980 and returned home to Orkney to live, work and bring up her family. Jo Thomson, Leila's daughter, graduated in Painting from Edinburgh College of Art in 2010 and joined th

e family business alongside her brother Andrew, who makes the gallery's picture framing and handcrafted rugs from designs made by either Leila or Jo. In August 2022 Leila sadly passed away but her artwork remains on display at the gallery. Both Jo and Leila's artwork is inspired by the rhythm of life and landscape of the Orkney, where they were born and brought up. Although trained in painting, tapestry is second nature to Jo as she grew up weaving alongside her mother, Leila. Jo's artwork as a result is an exciting combination of handwoven tapestry and painting. The gallery has received visitors from all over the world and both Jo and Leila have artwork in private collections worldwide. Original artwork, handcrafted rugs, cards and prints are available to purchase at the gallery.

13/01/2025

Hello and happy new year from Hoxa. 🖐 Here's hoping for a creative 2025!

13/12/2024

Rippling my way up.

Also a gentle reminder about UK Christmas postal dates: next Wednesday 18th December is our last official day for posting website orders. We are happy to continue posting later in the week but cannot guarantee arrival before Christmas if we post after the 18th.

If you live locally and would like to purchase anything in person just get in touch and we'll do our best to help.

06/12/2024

It has been a trying week where any progress has been hard fought. There is a frustrated tangle of yarns on my floor to show for it.

As an artist there are days when my ideas and creative decisions flow easily and other days (or weeks) I feel stuck and progress is inevitably slow. It's all part of the creative cycle. Hopefully next week will be easier!

02/12/2024

End of a sketchbook, end of a year. How satisfying!

This book has been in use since last September. I know many artists don’t feel the need to work in sketchbooks but it is an essential part of my artistic practice. My sketchbook is my brain. It's my safe space where I can explore ideas, develop trains of thought and play with different mediums without fear of judgement. This book contains many hours of thinking, sketching, painting, writing and clip-and-sticking!

27/11/2024

A moment of quiet, stillness and reflection. So good for the soul.

22/11/2024

Hello! 🖐 It's been a while, we're still alive. Andrew is busy making rugs and I'm drawing and painting in my sketchbook and working on my current tapestry. Lots of subtle blending of sand tones at the moment and undulating ripples.

04/10/2024

Time to down tools and put my feet up.

Just in case anybody missed our post from earlier in the week the gallery is now closed for winter. Andrew and I will both be taking a well earned break over the next 2 weeks but will be happy to open by appointment when we return to work towards the end of the month.

As always, contact details for visiting us over the winter period can be found on our website: https://hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/visit-us/

Thank you to everybody who has visited the gallery and supported our business this year. ❤️😊

02/10/2024

The light, colours and reflections across Scapa Flow have been stunning today. What a start to October!🌞

30/09/2024

A gentle reminder of the gallery’s opening hours. Today was our last official day open for this year as we are open seasonally from April-September. However we intend to stay open until Friday this week (4th October) so if you’re in Orkney and would like to visit, be sure to pop past before we close for winter.

After Friday, Andrew and I will both be taking a well earned rest for a couple of weeks, then we’ll be happy to open by appointment over the winter period.

Contact details for visiting us over the winter period can be found on our website here: https://hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/visit-us/

📷 Sand O' Wright, Hoxa. October '23

24/09/2024

Studies finished, loom set up again and now starting the final artwork.

It always amuses me at the beginning of a tapestry when all the bobbins dangle below the bottom bar of the loom like a group of haphazard dancers.

One could say they're TAP(estry) dancing. 🤣

16/09/2024

This second study contains all of my favourite things to explore: colour, subtlety and quality of line.

Almost finished then I think I'm ready to move onto the final artwork. Hurray!

05/09/2024

Currently working on small studies for a "bigger idea" which has been floating around in my head for a few months. I'm hoping they'll provide the answers I need to bring this idea to life. So far the first study is looking hopeful.

02/09/2024

Looking back at photos from my weekend walk at Marwick when the sea was sparkly and skies were blue. 🌞💙

Today in comparison has been incredibly grey and wet!

25/08/2024

A quick snap from yesterday's walk around Hoxa. I'm sure I'm not alone in enjoying the hushing noise of barley dancing in the wind at this time of year.

14/08/2024

It was such a bright, bonny morning that I took my latest drawing and painting outside for a quick photo. Different locations within Orkney but they share an expansive, blue sky.💙⛅

31/07/2024

My camera lens wasn't wide enough for those big, windy skies yesterday. 😍

I had a lovely day out pottering around South Ronaldsay, visiting favourite spots and soaking up panoramic views. I love the patchwork fields at this time of year.

29/07/2024

"Tidal traces"- rolled up like a happy, little sausage - ready to travel to its new home.

People often ask if I'm sad to let go of my artworks and my answer is generally no, quite the opposite. It makes me so happy to meet people who resonate with my work and want to support what I do. It's a lovely feeling. ❤️

26/07/2024

Bringing summer weather to the studio.🌞💙

I've spent most of this week in my happy place sitting on the studio floor with a new, clean palette and making a mess with oil paints. Apologies to visitors if the gallery was a bit heavy on the turpentine fumes yesterday! 🙃

Address

St Margarets Hope
Kirkwall
KW172TW

Telephone

+441856831395

Website

http://www.hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/

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Videos

Andrew is working on two "Moons and waves" rugs this week, next colour blend going in this afternoon🙂

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