Willie Rodger: Wee Cuddle

Willie Rodger’s linocuts observed the Scottish world with a kindly and amusing eye. The lightness of the spirit belies the calculation of the design and the sheer craftsmanship of his selected medium.

As the artist himself reflected, “I enjoy the discipline of lino, the simplicity. It’s a clean-cut medium. You have to think clearly before cutting. One slip and it’s ruined. There’s no pussyfooting around.”

Translated into tapestry, this piece has an even greater impact without losing the spirit of Rodger’s prints. Illustrating a man and a woman embracing in a ‘wee cuddle’ under moonlight, the rendering of the figures from the long-fingered hands to the shoes pointing in the same direction is both affectionate and witty. The distinctive style of the artist and the interpretation of the weavers come together to form a striking composition.

Rodger was elected to the Royal Scottish Academy in 1989, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Stirling in 1999, and his work is held in several collections across the UK.