In January 2026, Iona completed a month-long silversmithing residency on the beautiful Marchmont Estate in the Scottish Borders, leaving the experience feeling deeply inspired. The residency was funded by the Hugo Burge Foundation, established by Hugo Burge himself before his passing. With a deep passion for craft, he created the foundation to support artists and makers providing studios on the grounds, ensuring that creativity would remain at the heart of Marchmont.
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The residency offered Iona something rarely available in everyday practice: time. Time to draw, design, refine techniques, and experiment without the constant pressure to work quickly or be commercially driven. It echoed the freedom of being back at university - exploring ideas simply for the sake of learning and curiosity, following threads of inspiration wherever they led.
A Month at Marchmont: Time, Craft, and Inspiration
​​​​​​​​​​The stillness of the surroundings made winter feel peaceful and visually striking – frost covered mornings giving way to soft, low light across the landscape.
At the centre of the estate stands Marchmont House, which occasionally opens for public tours. As part of her residency, Iona was invited to take part in a guided tour of the house. The art collection and carefully curated furniture were hugely inspiring.
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​​​​​​During the residency, she lived in a small pod overlooking trees and wildlife, spending her days in one of the nicest workshops she has ever worked in. Sharing the space with the long-term silversmithing residents created an atmosphere that was both focused and supportive. Alongside the silversmiths, the studios are home to illustrators, chair makers, writers, weavers, and textile artists, creating a wider creative community that added to the richness of the experience. ​​​​​
"I spent part of the residency designing and drawing, including an Art Deco inspired study of Marchmont itself - simplifying its architecture into bold lines and graphic shapes, a style that has long influenced my work.​​​​​​​​​"
"Alongside drawing, I experimented with chasing, made tools, and completed a plate design of Hopeman Harbour, which I had spun beforehand. Stone setting became an important focus, particularly planning and beginning a box covered in green stones that I look forward to finishing later. I also took advantage of tools not usually available in my workshop, hammering a series of dishes that I plan to develop further with surface designs. Having the space and equipment to begin these forms has opened up new possibilities, and I’m excited to continue them back in my home studio."
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"One of the highlights of the residency was experimenting with my PUK welder. I explored movement, creating small, rockpool-like creatures - playful, organic forms. It was freeing to develop ideas without the pressure of resolving them into finished pieces. I’m not yet sure what they will become, and that feels fine; they will form a new body of work in time."
