Meet the artist behind the Scottish Curling Championship’s stunning ice art

If you happened to tune in to this year’s Scottish Curling Championship between 4-10 February, you’ll have been greeted with a rather wondrous sight. To promote its sponsorship of Scottish Curling’s showpiece event, Hendrick’s Gin commissioned a local artist to bring the usually unadorned playing surface to life with a burst of colour and flavour.

Inspired by the rich plant life found in the greenhouses at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace, the atmospheric coastal landscape that surrounds it, and the rich heritage of the sport of curling itself, Glasgow-based artist and illustrator Orla Stevens created a series of spectacular abstract designs in her home studio, which were frozen under the ice for the duration of the championships.

Curling stones are traditionally made of granite harvested from Ailsa Craig, a legendary volcanic outcrop that sits just off the mainland – a stone’s throw away from the Hendrick’s Gin Palace. This local connection formed a key part of the narrative that Orla weaved into her artwork, together with her own passion for nature and the outdoors.

She explains: “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 learn more about Orla’s creative process, which is as refreshingly curious as a Hendrick’s Gin & Tonic served with a slice of cucumber. You’ll also discover how she took inspiration from meeting both Lesley Gracie, the Master Distiller at Hendrick’s, and Scottish Olympic Curler Scott Andrews.

Try a refreshing Hendrick’s & Tonic garnished with a slice of cucumber. To find out more visit hendricksgin.com