Tartan is a cultural icon of Scotland. Traditionally it is a patterned woven cloth, typically wool, that consists of criss-crossed bands of color both vertically and horizontally creating a distinctive pattern of squares and lines. Today tartan is no longer limited to textiles – the term has come to mean the pattern itself as much as a cloth.
While tartan is today most often associated with Scotland though its origins are from much farther afield. Ancient examples of tartan have been traced to populations in central Europe and China. Original Scottish highland tartans drew their colors from whatever natural plant based dyes could be found nearby the weavers home and thus were more often representative of a region or district of the country than that of a specific family or clan. It’s generally agreed that “clan tartans” are indeed an invented tradition.
A sampling of tartans (left to right from top left) Clan Douglas tartan, the Declaration tartan by Steven Patrick Sim, the USA tartan, the State of Texas “Bluebonnet” tartan, my personal Glen Moyer tartan, the Royal Stewart tartan worn by King George IV
The popularity of tartan grew exponentially following the 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland when the King appeared wearing a tartan kilt. Soon after tartan became the national dress for the whole of Scotland, not just the Highlands and Islands.
A portrait of a kilted King George IV painted by David Wilkie. (Public Domain image)
In the United States, April 6th is designated as Tartan Day. April 6th is also the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320 – a document widely thought to have inspired the USA’s own Declaration of Independence. This national day of recognition honors America’s strong ties to Scotland and the achievements of Americans of Scottish descent.
Thus tartan today permeates everyday life for Scots and the Scottish diaspora found, not just in the USA, but around the world. Tartan can be found on everything from clothing and home furnishings to packaging, from phone cases to automobile vinyl wraps and biscuit tins. For one Glasgow born artisan, tartan has also inspired a line of fused glass jewelery and other artistic creations.
Alicia MacInness works with glass, fused glass to be exact. And what you ask is fused glass – well in layman’s terms it’s a process of bonding two or more pieces of glass together using heat. MacInness has been working in the medium for more than two decades now. Her art ranges from large panels suitable for windows or framing as wall art, to delicate jewellery like pendants, earrings, cufflinks and more.
A sampling of Alicia MacInnes’ glass designs.
Being a Scot it’s perhaps not surprising to find that many of her pieces feature tartan inspired design. In fact just recently another Scottish artisan glassware company – Angel’s Share Glass - announced a collaboration with MacInness to feature her tartan glass hearts on their own glass angels – but that’s getting ahead of the story.
MacInnes says her tartan inspired jewellery is her best seller and is a particular favorite of tourists when she displays at the annual Fringe Festival in Edinburgh in August. These designs are created by fusing “noodles” of colored glass both horizontally and vertically upon a base plate of colored glass.
A selection of Alicia MacInnes’ tartan inspired designs.
While jewellery is MacInnes’ best seller, she also sometimes works in larger formats like this seascape.
MacInnes sells her work online via her Facebook page and Etsy shop (links below) or if you’re in Scotland you can see Alicia’s work at both the Glasgow and Edinburgh locations of the Scottish Design Exchange and up north at the Old School Beauly just north of Inverness.
KEY POINTS:
05:15 - How MacInnes first started in glass design
08:15 - Describing the process of fusing glass
12:00 - Where does MacInnes draw inspiration for her creations?
15:30 - What sent MacInnes down the path of doing tartan inspired design?
17:00 - Explaining the process of doing tartan in glass
26:30 - Is there much competition in the field of fused glass art?
28:45 - Did you have a fascination with glass or jewellery making as a child?
31:00 - How is the business climate in Scotland for entrepreneurs such as yourself?