Thank You
Contributors, Supporters and Participants
Everyone who contributes to or participates in the development of The Limpetarium is, with their permission acknowledged and credited here:
Professor Roxane Permar from UHI Shetland, The Centre for Island Creativity is the Programme Leader for the MA in Art and Social Practice and the Director of Studies for my Masters in Research Degree. Roxane's unceasing enthusiasm, support and extensive knowledge of art and social practice is hugely valued and appreciated.
Dr Antonia Thomas from UHI Orkney and the Archaeology Institute is the Programme Leader for The MA in Contemporary Art and Archaeology and my second supervisor. Antonia's extraordinary knowledge of archaeology and contemporary art practice is unique and this, combined with her wholehearted support and guidance is invaluable to my research.
Adrian Garbett, my wonderful husband has made this research project possible. He has endured years of my limpet obsession and tolerated countless shell collecting visits to the coast but most of all has supported our learning disabled, autistic son Kallum whilst I have been away on numerous field trips. For this I am exceedingly grateful.
Kallum Garbett, my son enthusiastically joins in with my limpet research and regularly offers his advice which most often is "don't get carried away!"
Kevin and Lynn Ceney, my long-time friends were with me at Skaill Farm when this whole limpet thing started and have followed the project with interest.
Dr Louise Firth is an Associate Professor in Marine Ecology based at the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth. Louise gifted South African limpet shells from her collection to The Limpetarium, generously shared her research paper entitled What have limpets ever done for us? On the past and present provisioning and cultural services of limpets (2021) and invited me to Plymouth for a marvelous weekend of all things limpet in 2021.
Dan Lee is The Lifelong Learning and Outreach Archaeologist from UHI's Archaeology Institute in Orkney and has, with the Skaill Farm team very helpfully enabled my fieldwork in Rousay.
Anne Bevan, an artist and Curriculum Leader in Art and Design at UHI Orkney has supported and encouraged my practice since 2017 when I undertook the Contemporary Art and Archaeology module. Anne's sustained interest in my work has been a real help and has seen me through both good and difficult times.
Dr Siun Carden, a social anthropologist and Research Fellow at The Centre for Island Creativity, UHI Shetland taught me throughout the MA in Art and Social Practice and has very kindly continued supporting my practice since I graduated.
Emeritus Professor Mark Edmonds, from York University has supported and encouraged my interest in art and archaeology, engaging in many and varied conversations.
Bill Laybourne, is a sound artist and co-director of Workshop24 with me. Bill has provided support throughout this project, offered advice about audio recording and editing, has created various limpety soundtracks and has put up with me continually moving The Limpetarium around our shared studio space.
Jo Naden, an artist based in East Yorkshire accompanied me to the first Skaill Farm field trip, gifted various boxes for The Limpetarium and has consistently offered advice, support and encouragement throughout the project.
Caroline Dear, an artist based on the Isle of Skye made a beautiful traditional Orkney 'cubbie' basket for the project. Caroline also sent some limpet shells which she collected from the beach near her home and provides valued advice and support.
Susan Timmins, a photographer who lives in Shetland gifted an amazing collection of limpet shells which she found on Vancouver Island, Canada when she visited in 2021-2022 and also a woven stormy seascape, depicting the seas with which far northern limpets have to contend. Susan is always there, listening when I need to talk!
Sarah Goudie, an artist based in Stourbridge, West Midlands generously shared her childhood story and images of an inscribed limpet shell. Sarah also collected and gifted limpet shells from Talland Bay where she was on holiday.
Fiona Sanderson, an artist and fellow limpet lover based in Orkney loaned her fabulous 'Limpet-o-matic' machine to The Limpetarium. Fiona also shared her knowledge of local limpet-language in Orkney and showed us how to make a Papay Rattle at the first Limpet Ting.
Rick Sanders, a poet based in Stourbridge, West Midlands wrote a wonderful poem entitled Staithes in response to a visit to The Limpetarium. Rick also shared a photograph of his young daughter wearing limpet shells on her eyes as goggles.
Jen Hadfield, a poet based in Shetland kindly gifted one of her hand made porcelain limpets to the project.
Chris Gee, an archaeologist with the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology generously shared his thoughts and knowledge of limpets and 'cubbie' baskets in conversation during my first field trip to Skaill Farm in Orkney.
Dr Ragnhild Ljosland, a sociologist and lecturer at UHI Orkney shared her interesting and personal knowledge of the traditional use of limpet shells as nipple shields for nursing mothers in her home country of Norway.
Martin Gray, a naturalist and beachcomber from Orkney thoughtfully shared an image of a fence strainer he came across which was made from concrete aggregate which included limpet shells.
Linda Norris, an artist from Pembrokeshire in Wales presented a very special limpet shell to the project which she found at St. Patricks Chapel archaeological dig in Whitesands which she had gilded beautifully in 24 carat gold.
Holly Young, an Orkney based archaeologist and fellow mollusc lover has generously shared her knowledge of limpets and MA dissertation.
Elena Thomas, an artist based in Stourbridge kindly donated a lovely old box to The Limpetarium that had been languishing on her shelves for years.
Dr Axelle Amstutz, a marine ecologist from Plymouth very helpfully met up with me, shared her research findings and gifted a collection of shells to the project.
Mat Webb, a UHI Contemporary Art and Archaeology student participated in my second Limpet Ting and provided some fabulous feedback.
Kyoko Tachibana, a visitor to Orkney participated in my second Limpet Ting and also provided some very helpful feedback.
Gillian Cooper, a UHI Contemporary Art and Archaeology student enthusiastically participated in my second Limpet Ting.
Deborah Illet, a UHI Contemporary Art and Archaeology student enthusiastically participated in my second Limpet Ting.
Aileen Ogilvie, a UHI Contemporary Art and Archaeology student contributed to the second Limpet Ting by using her beautiful voice to speak limpet-words for the soundtrack of Houses of Wind, Wave and Voice.
Selma Makela, an artist based in Connemara, Ireland corresponded with me by letter, sharing her unique experience of the shell midden on Inishlacken Island and lovely cyanotype images.
Ashleigh Slater, a weaver based in Blairgowrie, Scotland contributed to the making of the Electric Limpet-Man video by wearing the felt limpet and twirling it in his electric wheelchair!
Lloyd Stacey is the founding Director of Riverside House, a heritage project based in Stourbridge, West Midlands. Lloyd shared a photograph of his daughter wearing limpet shells on her eyes as goggles.