Failte - Welcome. Hand Made Resin Wall Hanging. Gaelic, Scotland, Ireland. Blessing

FAILTE (Welcome) Contemporary Celtic design, Scotland This is a handmade resin-cast, wall hanging miniature sculpture. This piece is primarily designed for indoors display but can also be displayed in an outdoors setting. See display notes below. Height=75mm Width=180mm (3 X 7) HISTORY This cross is a contemporary Sculpture by Stuart Fellowes which is modelled to represent an ancient Celtic sculpted stone fragment. It has the word Failte (pronounced as Fal-cha) which is the Gaelic for Welcome. Failte, the word first spoken by the host upon entering his house. So began the Highland welcome where the visitor was assured of a warm welcome by the traditions developed over generations. The visitor is regarded as Kin & it is the hosts pleasure to give the warmest of bedding & best of food. If a bottle of whisky is opened, tradition dictates that all the contents are consumed that day, as bad luck would befall if the cork is put back in the bottle. Scottish poet, Robert Burns often regaled hosts, friends & acquaintances with poetry. Visiting a house at Dalnachardoch in the Highlands in September 1787, he wrote a verse as a compliment to the hospitality he received. When death's dark stream I ferry o'er, a time that surely shall come; in Heaven itself, I'll ask no more, Than just a Highland welcome MATERIAL This sculpture is handmade as a single-piece solid resin casting, using high quality, marine grade resin, finished with UV light resistant paints. Cast resin is a hard, durable material but is somewhat brittle in nature like ceramics, therefore care should be taken in handling & display as fine details can be susceptible to chipping or breaking. DISPLAY My resin cast pieces are designed for indoor, wall hanging display but can also be displayed outdoors. However, when outside, the effects of sun light, moisture & temperature will degrade the painted finish over time. Depending on your actual outdoors display conditions, the piece may be expected to last anywhere between 2-20 years before the paint wears, cracks or fades. A shaded & sheltered display area is recommended. Storing indoors during Winter will help maximise its lifespan. PRODUCT CARE Resin sculptures should be cleaned occasionally with a soft-bristle brush & warm water with a touch of very mild detergent. Gently wipe away dirt & dust, avoiding cleaners or chemicals that may damage the paint finish. With outdoor displayed pieces, a water based matt, UV resistant, clear varnish can be sprayed over the piece after cleaning to protect the paint & resin. (Oil or solvent based products must not be used) HOW THIS MINIATURE WAS CREATED After deciding on a subject to model, I will spend time sketching a few ideas before creating a rough model which will be the base for the full sculpture. I then make accurate drawings of the design I want to create & use this to guide my carving & sculpting to the rough model. This whole process takes many, many hours of work. At the end of sculpting, the miniature sculpture becomes the master model with which I make the moulds. Each casting I make from the moulds is an exact reproduction of my original sculpture. I then spend a great deal of time with each casting to clean, prepare & paint it using a variety of spray & brush techniques. Every stage of this piece you see here is crafted entirely by hand. (C) 2016 Stuart Fellowes. All Rights Reserved www.longlinestudio.co.uk www.facebook.com/longlinestudio Failte - Welcome. Hand Made Resin Wall Hanging. Gaelic, Scotland, Ireland. Blessing