I am absolutely thrilled to bits to have had my piece ‘Highly Sprung’ hung in the exhibition titled ‘Human Presence’ in the historic setting of Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire.

The work has been selected from Aberdeen Art Gallery’s Fine Art collection and my work sits humbly alongside such prestigious artists as Alison Watt, Ken Currie, Gavin Turk and Julie Roberts, whose work I particularly admire (My screen printed ‘Tension’ was directly inspired by Julia Robert’s ‘Restraining Coat II (Female)’ exhibited in this exhibition and pictured below)!

An article written by Esther Green of Tricker PR focused on the ‘blood shed behind creating ‘clothes peg dress’ ‘

‘Now an artist whose work is on show at a Scottish castle has revealed her own blood shed over creating the installation.

Julia Douglas’ Highly Sprung, a dress made out of 12,5000 clothes pegs, is part of an exhibition of modern art at a newly created art gallery in Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Creating the installation was a real labour of love for Julia, who spent long days over two months working on the project, the theme of which has become her signature style.

After breaking the pegs to separate the wood from the metal springs, she then linked the springs together in a form of knitting to create the shape of the dress. It was an intricate but successful process and remarkably no glue, support or fastenings were needed to keep the dress structure in place.

Julia says: “It was a very repetitive process, akin to knitting, but also just like housework, a job that you do over and over again. The knitting process made my fingers bleed.”

But the blood shed was worth it as 10 years after its creation and Highly Sprung, remains one of Julia’s personal favourites.’

Julia Douglas, 'Highly Sprung' at Drum Castle

The domestic interior at Drum castle, with it’s fireplaces and skirting boards, is an ideal location for my work and this exhibition that explores human presence. I hope that this different setting for the work will also attract new viewers as well as inspire regular gallery goers.

So glad that my ‘suffering’ paid off and that ‘Highly Sprung’ continues to be appreciated!

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