Take 4 Now - 2. Quilts in the Borders. Pauline Burbidge’s Open Studio Exhibition

by Celia Eddy
published: 19/02/2001
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Quilt enthusiasts and art-lovers alike are in for a treat when Pauline Burbidge and her husband, Charles Poulsen, open their home and studios to visitors in August. This is the fifth time they’ve staged this event so it’s become an established feature of the Scottish Borders arts and crafts calendar. This year, in addition to Pauline’s textiles and Charlie’s sculptures, the work of guest artist, Sam Wade, are also displayed, so there will be even more to look at than usual.

The house and studios have been created from an old Steading which Pauline and Charlie bought it in 1993. The main buildings, or what was left of them, were the stables with a hayloft over them, a granary and a barn. There was no house as such. Only people with extraordinary vision, and the energy and determination to turn the vision into a reality, would have recognised that this scene of near-dereliction contained the makings of the magnificent living and working environment which, with a lot of sheer physical slog on Charlie’s part and a fair degree of stoicism from both parties, they’ve now created. Most of their first year was spent more or less camping in the granary, the only dry bit of the entire complex, and they were only saved from the full rigours of the Border winter by the fact that the electricity was connected, thus enabling them to ‘brew up’ and to have an electric blanket – even if it did mean retreating to bed at 8.30 p.m every night just to escape from the cold.

So what will today’s visitor find, once, that is, they’ve managed to tear their attention away from the stunning landscape in which the Steading is situated, with its views across the Whiteadder river flowing just below the property? Since Pauline’s studio is in what was once the hayloft, and the living accommodation is in the ex-stables below it, Open Studio means Open House and visitors are invited to see both – and, indeed, to linger in the long, low kitchen where tea and home-made cakes are offered. But that’s just the beginning of the tour, since Charlie’s (granary) sculpture studio is also on view as well as all the outbuildings, in which quilts and sculpture are exhibited, the quilts on freshly white-washed walls. This year Sam Wade’s water fountains and mobiles will also be on show.

Pauline Burbidge's Studio

The textile studio extends over the whole length of the building, with excellent light from high windows let into the roof. Large tables for sewing, ironing and laying out work take up the centre space while one wall is covered in soft board for pinning up work in progress. During the Exhibition, quilts are displayed on stands round the studio, together with the collages and photographs of which Pauline makes great use in the planning and designing stages.

At the Open Studio Exhibition work in progress and the various design processes can be examined in detail – a golden opportunity for anyone with aspirations to make art quilts to look and learn at first hand. As this year sees the publication of Pauline’s book, Quilt Studio, the Exhibition also celebrates that event and those who are inspired try out some of Pauline’s design ideas can use the book as a jumping off point.

This year the Open Studio Exhibition takes place on 4th – 6th August.
Open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and by appointment throughout the rest of August 2000

For more details and directions, contact Pauline Burbidge:
Allanbank Mill Steading, Allanton, Nr. Duns, Berwickshire. TD11 3JX
Tel/Fax: 01890 818073

© Celia Eddy