One of the many great plus points about my job as Craft Development Coordinator for the HI-Arts is that I get out and about throughout the Highlands and Islands to meet many inspiring and positive people.

On Friday I was fortunate to travel to Iona and Mull on one of the most spectacular days of the year so far. An early drive through Ardnamurchan found me crossing to Mull on my first ferry of the day – a much shorter one (and calmer) that my last trip to Stornoway! The sun was out this time and as I drove on the single track road over the hills to Fionnphort, radio on and hardly a car to pass; I glanced up to see two eagles soaring not very far above me. Even after living most of my life here, I am still awestruck by the beauty of my home!

My second ferry took me the short 10 minutes to Iona and I walked up the winding street to visit Mhairi Killin at her beautiful studio and shop overlooking the Sound of Iona.

Mhairi is trained in textiles but came back to Iona to take over her family’s traditional Celtic jewellery business in 1997. In 2003 she set about restoring the steading building where she is now based and, as well as selling her own work, she retails a select group of work by other jewellers.

Mhairi has always wanted to create a new body of work that reflects her heritage and to move her work onto another level. Having received a Creative Development Award from the SAC, she is now fulfilling that challenge and her exhibition of new work will open at An Tobar on Mull in July before touring. I was in Iona to speak to Mhairi about this work and her future plans and we will be featuring this on our website before too long.

After a very inspiring couple of hours with Mhairi, it was back on the ferry after a delay while it waited on the Mull side for a cement lorry to bring over fresh supplies for the jetty – giving us a chance to take a breezy walk along the shore side and to make me realise just what a challenge living on an Island must be.

For craftspeople like Mhairi it is so much more of a struggle than someone, say, living in London or Edinburgh. Inspiration has to come from within and from the landscape as there are no galleries or museums, few colleagues and sometimes little understanding within the community. Every journey, transport of work, delivery of materials has to be planned round the ferry and then, from Iona, it is over an hour on single track to the next ferry to either Oban or Lochaline and then onwards to the Central belt.

On my way back from Iona I called in at Isle of Mull weavers at Ardlanish farm. Down another muddy single track road to the farm and you are greeted by work that is sold and respected all over the world and worn by models on the catwalks of London and Japan – all from an unprepossessing barn in the middle of Mull. I was going to say ‘nowhere’ but that is not where it is – it is a landscape and life that inspires and allows people the freedom to create work that reflects this in its own unique way.

Once more, I am amazed by the creativity and drive of makers in the Highlands and Islands. We have some of the very best and it takes a strong and determined person to make it really work given all the obstacles in their way.

Next week I head for a very different landscape and people – New York! I will be promoting our makers, seeking out opportunities, being inspired and I am sure I will return exhausted but reassured in the knowledge that we do have some of the top makers in our midst and we can stand on an international stage!

If all works to plan, you should be able to follow my trip on this blog from the 14th April.