In this section are references and links to further information concerning the art, history, and culture of the North-west Highlands.
**** Artists ****
To view the work of any of the artists listed below just click on their name to be taken to their website.
James Hawkins
A graduate of the Ruskin School of Drawing in Oxford and Wimbledon, James Hawkins has been working at Rhue in Wester Ross for 30 years now. His unique style of painting has developed steadily during this time to a point where he straddles abstraction and figuration with dextrous ability. His rich and luscious paint surfaces are edible at times, brutally indigestible at others. Every square inch of canvas is packed with frenetic gestures and colours vibrating with energy.
Bryan Islip
Bryan Islip paints pictures and composes poems to be read alongside them. His land and sea scapes featuring the West Highlands of Scotland are reproduced as greetings cards, calendars, prints of varying sizes and most recently a booklet called 'An Incomer's Views ON WESTER-ROSS' in 24 Paintings, Poems and Narratives. He also writes fiction. 'More Deaths Than One' is his literary thriller, released December '08. Going with Gabe will follow it into print in June '09. A collection of his short stories is planned for some future date, as is a collection of his verse.
More about Bryan's output may be found on his website www.picturesandpoems.co.uk; more still on his works, news and thoughts on his blog-site www.bryanislip.com
Ian Nelson
Ian has lived in Wester Ross since September 1989 when he and his wife moved from The English Lake District; prior to that practiced as an architect in England. Ian specialises in watercolours of the landscapes of Wester Ross and, possibly because of his architectural background, his landscapes typically feature the traditional croft houses of the Scottish West Highlands.
Lynn Bennett Mackenzie
Lynn has a studio in Gairloch where she creates a variety of works using watercolours, pen and ink, acrylic and oils and has had a number of exhibtions. Some of Lynn's work and more information can be found on her web site and also on Artist Universal
Lynn also provides a picture framing service at her studio and has on offer hundreds of quality mouldings and mountboards, including fine conservation mountboards.
Jane works at her Artisan Caithness studio in the village of Gills, near Wick, in Caithness. This is her new studio having just recently moved there from her former Londubh Studio in Wester Ross.
She creates paintings, figurative ceramics, prints and cards. She paints exclusively in acrylics and her ceramics are produced using the raku method of firing, which Jane says is unpredictable and heavy on casualties! She also creates bead earrings, necklaces from semi-precious stones, prints and felt sculptures
Jane's excellent work can be seen on her website (click on her name above) which is currently going through a transition to reflect the works she is now creating at her new Artisan Caithness studio.
Roseanne Wiseman
Roseanne was born in Fife and has always loved painting from an early age. Her parents travelled about quite a bit and in her last two years of higher education were gained at Hyndland Secondary School, Glasgow in the late 60’s. From there she was accepted for Glasgow School of Art. She dropped out at the beginning of her second year after which she got married and spent several years bringing up a family leaving little time for painting.
After completing an Art and Design course with the Open College of Arts she have got back gradually to painting. Roseanne draws inspiration from the old croft houses and the wonderful light in this part of the country. (Wester Ross). She enjoys painting landscapes and still life, mostly in oils, but like to experiment with other mediums.
Rosanne has previously exhibited at:
- art.tm (former Bank St. venue)
- an talla solais (Ullapool)
- Strathpeffer Pavilion
- Macmillan Art Sale
- Perfume Studio (Aultbea)
- Various local hotels, cafes and craft fairs.
Her current exhibition is at the Gairloch Heritage Museum and can be seen until the 30th April 2010.
**** Literature ****
The literature listed here is that produced, in the main, by people who have lived in the North-west Highlands. Some of the books listed here are only available via local outlets in the North-west Highlands such as GALE and the Gairloch Heritage Museum.
Alan G Bush
Escape To Scorraig (2004) A unique and often humorous account of life in remote Scorraig in Wester Ross from the 1960's onwards. It is published by Alan Bush who lives in Scorraig and from whom the book can be purchased. Alan has published other books, It's All My Fault, Escape from Scorraig, A Spot of Scorraig History, and How To Make a Spinning Wheel. All these books are available from his website.
It may be possible to obtain a copy of these books from the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool or at the Ullapool Museum.
Iain Camshron
Inbhir Àsdale nam Buadh (2006) ISBN 1 900901 34 X published by CLÀR, Inverness. Songs and Poems by Iain Cameron, the Inverasdale poet. Iain Cameron was born in 1919 in Inverasdale where he spent most of his life. He was crowned bard at the National Mod in Oban in 1983. The poems and songs in this book extol the beauty of and life in Iain's home lands in Gaelic but each with English translations.
Steve Chadwick
Loch Ewe during World War II (1996) Loch Ewe was the fleet base and convoy assembly point for the convoys which took munitions and other supplies to Northern Russia during WW II. Steve Chadwick carried out extensive create to provide this interesting and detailed history of Loch Ewe during WW II.
Gairloch (short walks & a hill) with Historical Narrative (1987-2002) Ten short walks in the Gairloch Area with historical narrative.
Poolewe to Gruinard; selected Walks and Caves with historical narrative (1992) A booklet describing some walks in the area between Poolewe and Gruinard along with historical narrative.
Janet Davies
Walks around Plockton (1980) Illustrated guide to seventeen walks in the Plockton area.
John H Dixon
Gairloch and Guide to Loch Maree first published in 1886, now re-published and available from the Gairloch Heritage Museum. This is a classic describing in immense detail all aspects of the history, culture, landscape, flora, fauna and life in the parish of Gairloch at that time.
Bryan Islip
Bryan Islip paints pictures and composes poems to be read alongside them and also writes works of fiction. His land and seascapes featuring the West Highlands of Scotland are reproduced as greetings cards, calendars, prints of varying sizes and most recently a booklet. The following are brief notes on his literary works.
An Incomer's Views On Wester-Ross a booklet of 24 Paintings, Poems and Narratives.
More Deaths Than One (2008) ISBN 978-1-84923-005-6 This is Bryan's first published literary thriller and was awarded 'Bestseller' status by YouWriteOn.com, a website sponsored by The Arts Council in England.
The story concerns Thomas Thornton who, after some wild years in Special Forces, has settled down to life in Saudi Arabia as a business manager. This is the story of his attempts to extricate himself when, through no fault of his own, he is caught up in the legal machinery of an alien society.
Going with Gabriel Published in February 2010 is a story about Gabriel, a nomadic musician who makes a terrifying scientific discovery. To deal with the reality of this discovery he goes underground as an escape into a world of music and the street where he is more comfortable.
More information about the book is available on the Going With Gabriel website and a full review of this latest work by Bryan can be read in the Ross-shire Journal published on 5 February 2010.
Short Stories; A collection of his short stories is planned for some future date, as is a collection of his verse.
More about Bryan's output may be found on his website www.picturesandpoems.co.uk; more still on his works, news and thoughts on his blog-site www.bryanislip.com
S Barker Johnson (Bee Jay)
Highland Pearls (1969) An account of life, history and the landscape of the North-west Highlands from Wester Ross to Cape Wrath.
Kenneth C Mackenzie
Kenneth Mackenzie spent his childhood and early adult life living in Londubh and Poolewe in Wester Ross. He has written a considerable number of booklets narrating life as it was in that area from the early part of the 20th century and onwards. They give a detailed account of the rigours and independence of crofting life in those times, with commentary on local culture and spiritual beliefs, all served up with a liberal dash of humour. All the booklets have a considerable number of photographs in them to illustrate the stories and poems. The booklets are available in various local outlets but in case of difficulty contact the publisher, Stuart R MacKenzie, on 01445 781300.The River Ewe; Reminiscent Recollections of a Ross-Shire River (2000) This book will be of immense interest to anglers in particular, but also to the general reader interested in life and customs in the Poolewe area in times past.
Rannachd Highland Poems and Songs (2001) by Kenneth C MacKenzie.
Short Stories From Poolewe (2001) A collection of factual local stories with a humourous slant.
Place Names in and around Poolewe (2002) A comprehensive illustrated guide to the meanings of the place names in this part of Wester Ross.
Yesterdays Poolewe (2002) A detailed account of crofting life in this area in the period 1920's 1940's illustrated with many old photographs from that period.
Loch Maree; The Jewel in the Crown (2002) Illustrated booklet containing accounts of the history, the landscape and life in the Loch Maree area.
Suileileairais (Another Look Back) (2003) Continues the account of crofting life in Poolewe in the period 1920's to the 1940's.
The North West Way (2007) This booklet describes the road journey from Gorstan through Achnasheen, Kinlochewe, Gairloch, Poolewe, Aultbea, Laide, Dundonnell and ending at Braemore all mixed with historical narrative and personal recollections.
Poolewe; The Way It Was (2008) Continues the account of crofting life in Poolewe in the period 1920's to the 1940's.
Bill Ritchie
Making More of Assynt (ca1990) A detailed guide to climbing and walking in Assynt created by the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team
Francis Thomson
Crofting Years (1984) A Gaelic scholar of high repute from Stornoway has produced this deeply researched social history of crofting in the Highlands and Islands. In it's short lifetime of 100 years the crofting system of landholding has had profound effects on Scotland. This book takes us into the homes and minds of those who fought so desparately for security on their land.
Tom Weir
The Kyle Line (ca1980) An illustrated history of the building of the railway line to the Kyle of Lochalsh.
Professor W J Watson
Place Names of Ross and Cromarty (1904) Re-published in 1996 by Highland Heritage Books, Evanton. This book is a benchmark in place name studies, a model of scholarship, and inspirational in understanding the origin of place names in the Ross-shire landscape.
Roy Wentworth
Gaelic Words and Phrases From Wester Ross (2003) ISBN 1 900 901-21-8 published by CLÀR, Inverness. This huge and learned book is without doubt the definitive work on Gaelic in Wester Ross with particular emphasis on the area around Gairloch.
**** Museums ****
Gairloch Heritage Museum The displays cover many aspects of the history of the area, including archaeological finds, a croft house room, schoolroom, shop and the interior of the local lighthouse. For children, there are working models, quizzes and hands-on activities and for researchers, an archive and library. For research purposes contact the museum first to discuss with them the subject(s) you are interested in.Ullapool Museum Housed in a restored Telford Parliamentary Church originally built in 1829, this award winning museum tells the story of Loch Broom, the land and it's people, through a blend of traditional and multimedia displays.