To proudly show-off their sponsorship of Scottish Curling’s most prestigious annual event, Hendrick’s Gin asked local artist Orla Stevens to bring the usually plain ice to life with a burst of colour. Inspired by the lush plant life of the Hendrick’s Gin Palace greenhouses, the rugged coastal landscape that surrounds it, and the rich heritage of Curling itself, Stevens a created some truly spectacular abstract designs. These were then frozen into the ice upon which the championships were played!
Curling stones are traditionally made of granite harvested from Ailsa Craig, a volcanic outcrop that sits just off the mainland – a stone’s throw away fromour distillery, the Hendrick’s Gin Palace. Orla notes that, “Nature and the outdoors are a big part of my life, they go hand in hand with my creative process. For this project, I was able to reference a lot of nature imagery from the research trip that we had, drawing from the landscape, and then also drawing from the plant life in the Hendrick’s greenhouses.”
Watch the short film below to reveal Orla’s surprising and charming creative process, which is as refreshingly curious as a glass of Hendrick’s Gin & Tonic with a slice of cucumber. You’ll also discover how she took inspiration from meeting both Lesley Gracie, Master Distiller at Hendrick’s, and Scottish Olympic Curler Scott Andrews.