This display of paintings and drawings was produced over the last year by adults who took part in two art courses funded by Creative Scotland and delivered by An Lanntair. As a ‘Culture Collective Community Arts Project’ the activity was aimed at giving support and encouragement to local people including those who might have been experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness or other mental health issues.
The first sessions took place at the Loch a Tuath Community Hub in the district of Back. Over the winter months the group focused on the skill of drawing, learning to study the human face and to create portraits in a variety of drawing materials. A second series of workshops took place the following summer at the Castle Grounds in Stornoway with a focus on painting. A series of five outdoor sessions enabled the group to work from life and to produce a series of sketches and studies in pencil and watercolour. The second half of the course allowed the artists to develop their studies into large scale acrylic medium paintings in the studio environment of An Lanntair’s art workshop.
As well as learning new skills the groups were able to form new friendships and through having the opportunity to share and exhibit their work to gain confidence to expressing themselves as artists.
As one participant reported “…. coming to the classes has helped me to come out of my shell.”
Ishbel Murray – Facilitator and Commissioned Artist.