Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Pathways to 'Rathlin Wool':

Activity: Participating in or organising an eventOrganising a conference, workshop, ...

Description

The Colours of Rathlin workshop, delivered as part of the “Pathways to Rathlin Wool” in the Island Insights: Rathlin Community Engagement Days as part of the Future Island–Island project which invited local residents to explore the island’s visual identity through the lens of colour. Using participatory action research, the session combined creative dialogue, co-design, and hands-on experimentation.
The workshop began with a talk on the Importance of Colour in Design, Textiles, and Identity, introducing colour theory and its role in representing place. In preparation, we collaborated with a local crafter to produce two sample colour palettes based on photographs of Rathlin, illustrating how colour can be extracted and translated into yarn.

Participants then worked in small groups to identify colours that held personal reflective responses of place, describing “Rathlin as a Pantone colour.” Each response was recorded and discussed, linking colour to the sea, land, and place.
The resulting data was collated into a digital community colour palette, representing Rathlin’s shared landscape identity. This co-designed artefact is exhibited in Tools for Transition and underpins the illustrated book The Story of Rathlin Wool, demonstrating how participatory design can foster community voice and environmental awareness through creative engagement.
Period19 Apr 2024
Event typeWorkshop
Degree of RecognitionRegional

Keywords

  • FII
  • Colour
  • co-design
  • Co-creation
  • Rathlin Island
  • Rathlin Wool