Aboyne artist honours fishing industry with new exhibition

Aboyne artist Stephanie Vandem is not afraid of putting her all into her work – even if this includes items from lost loved ones and broken paddling pools.

Rather than sticking to one medium, for her latest series Fishing, Stephanie has used a whole host of bits and bobs to really bring the pieces to life.

Inspired by emotional talks around Brexit and fishing quotas, the mum-of-two wanted to explore the importance of north-east fishing communities and seascapes while drawing on the rich traditions of Renaissance and Latin American art.

For part of her research, she visited harbours in Arbroath, Stonehaven, Johnshaven, Peterhead and Shetland.

Stephanie Vandem with her piece Fixing the Buoy in Stonehaven. — Stephanie holding her piece Fixing the Buoy in Stonehaven.

Along the way, she picked up some nets, buoys and even a creel box to use in the pieces.

But the award-winning artist did not stop there.

Stephanie drew on her love of Aboyne forests using twigs and pine cones for lobster tails and crab eyes.

Plastic – like soy sauce containers for sushi – was also brought in to encourage reflection about its long life expectancy and how prevalent it is in our waters now.

Even parts of her kids old paddling pool are featured and also some hinges and nails from her late husband, Ross Ferguson’s, garage collection.

Smokies part of Stephanie Vandem's exhibition Fishing. — Items collected at beaches, harbours, forest walks and around the home have been used to bring the artworks to life. Images: Stephanie Vandem

Stephanie Vandem’s Fishing ‘most unpractical’ work so far

While her minimalist husband’s collection might have seemed useless to her, Stephanie added: “I knew that those little boxes full of mismatched door handles and hinges were important to him.”

“There was an even stronger sense of preciousness because he had so little.

“I think that’s what drew me to look at them very closely and appreciate what they were, and how I could use that to perpetuate the beauty.”

The final result from Stephanie’s collection is a stunning array of 15 pieces of three-dimensional and mixed media artwork.

And as Stephanie, 51, would add, her “most unpractical” work yet with “stuff coming out in all directions”.

At least for transporting them down to Edinburgh to be exhibited from May 3 as part of Tradfest 2024.

Pulling by Stephanie Vandem. — Stephanie said there are items coming out of the works in all directions as seen in this piece called Pulling.

Fishing exhibition about honouring people and culture

The series is helping to capture some of the north-east’s intangible cultural heritage – a knowledge passed through generations like in the fishing industry which is in danger of being lost.

Stephanie, added: “This was about honouring.

“Honouring Ross as a person, honouring what he left behind in the shape of all these little bits and bobs, honouring nature, honouring people who have come before us.

Stephanie said her series Fishing is about honouring people and nature.

“Going out to sea the ocean is a different planet so to speak and can take your life. It’s a way of life, it’s not just a job.

“I was really aware of that bravery of taking a small little boat and off you go and you hope you come back.

“So I wanted to honour those people who have done this job and who do the work today.

“There’s a real sense of honouring who we are, and honouring our relationship with life and also an awareness that it passes and it ends but life goes on.”