Selkirk exhibition explores art of walking
A compelling new exhibition by acclaimed textile artist and educator Muriel Prince is now open at Halliwell’s House Museum, Selkirk, offering visitors an immersive journey through landscape, memory and creative discovery.
Path of Desire, presented in the Robson Gallery, showcases a striking new body of work inspired by Muriel's unique practice of "draw walking" a process that combines walking and drawing simultaneously in the natural environment.
At the heart of Muriel's practice is the act of walking. Moving through landscapes across the Scottish Borders, particularly Toll Wood in Innerleithen and along the River Tweed, she uses walking as both a creative methodology and a way of developing a deeper connection with place.
The works in Path of Desire originate from a series of draw walks during which Muriel records her experiences directly onto paper scrolls while in motion. Rather than depicting the landscape as it appears, these drawings capture traces of movement, attention, memory and sensory experience, creating a record of being within the landscape rather than simply observing it.
The exhibition shines a light on artistic process as much as finished outcomes. Visitors will encounter a reconstruction of the artist's studio wall, revealing an evolving collection of walking scrolls, bark rubbings, photographs, sketches, written notes and gathered fragments. Through selection, repetition and transformation, these materials are reimagined into works that move seamlessly between drawing, printmaking, collage, photography and textile practice.
Textile scrolls, hand embroidery and free-motion machine stitching reflect Muriel's longstanding engagement with cloth while also acknowledging the rich textile heritage of the Scottish Borders. Large-scale digitally printed fabric panels combine layered photographic imagery with haiku inspired by what3words locations collected during her walks, creating fascinating intersections between mapping, language and lived experience.
Blending observation with imagination, Path of Desire explores how we connect with the landscapes around us. Through an intricate dialogue between walking, drawing,
writing and making, Muriel offers an alternative way of seeing, one that encourages us to slow down, look closely and discover the extraordinary within the everyday.
Muriel Prince is a textile artist and educator with extensive experience in both creative practice and teaching. She holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Loughborough University and an MFA from the University of Dundee.
She said: “I’m delighted to be exhibiting this collection of new work in the beautiful Robson Gallery at Halliwell's House, Selkirk. The works have emerged from countless hours spent walking, observing and responding to the landscapes of the Scottish Borders.
“I hope visitors will enjoy following these paths with me and perhaps be inspired to look at familiar places in a new way.”
The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm, admission is free, and the exhibition runs until August 22.