A talented 92-year-old, who was an evacuee in Perthshire during World War Two, is enjoying a hit with her latest lockdown creations.
Dorothy McDermott has made dozens of colourful bead bowls as a vital distraction during the Covid crisis.
The arts-loving pensioner, who trained as a silversmith, was inspired to experiment with Hama Beads, a creative product originally designed for children.
Dorothy said the work helps her enjoy a happy, fulfilled life, and now she has been flooded with orders for bowls from family and friends, as well as residents and staff at the Cramond Residence care home in Edinburgh where she stays.
“I’ve made over 20 in just one month,” she said. “I’m thrilled to bits that people like them.
“But I couldn’t have done it without the help from staff as my fingers don’t work the way they used to.
“I have to pick up the Hama Beads with a safety pin due to my arthritis and have to get one member of staff to help separate the brown and black beads, due to my double vision.”
Widowed Dorothy has had a lifelong passion for art and said her creative streak even helped sustain her as a child during the darkest days of the war.
“Art has always been a passion of mine. I used to get my dad to make a hole in silver sixpences and thruppennies so I could get a wire or thread through to make necklaces.
“When I was evacuated from Edinburgh to the home of my auntie and uncle in Perthshire at the beginning of World War Two, I used to gather hazelnuts to paint and make brooches from, to keep everyone’s spirits high and bring a little bit of happiness during a difficult time.”
The mother-of-one said: “I’ve always made things, right through school I was painting and making jewellery.
“I went on to study silversmithing at Edinburgh Art College. It’s fun to see how the creations turn out and makes me feel good to see the way people have appreciated them over the years.”
Dorothy is now leading classes at her care home, with a course planned for next month on tie-dye silk scarves.
“Making things keeps my mind active,” she said. “I’ve started becoming a bit forgetful so this gives me something to focus on and I really enjoy it. I’d say I spend several hours every week creating new designs whether it is for a new bead bowl or a painting.”
