Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, Bowmore, Islay, until late August 2011

IN true west coast island style the rain was out in force to welcome us to the door of Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, the bright sun over Loch Indaal cunningly deceptive as the heavens opened, and didn’t seem in any hurry to close again.

This, however, did not deter the folk who ventured out in support of the local artists who were exhibiting work in the centre just outside Bowmore, the welcoming atmosphere of the spacious central atrium ideal for seeking refuge from the summer storm.

The opening of the two-week long exhibition offered wine and a selection of cheese and biscuits as a reward to the brave souls who decided not to be put off by the dreich Islay rain.

The exhibition was initiated by one of the exhibiting artists, Mairi MacKay, who, having recently left the island for pastures new after sixteen years, made the trip back especially to host the night and support the other exhibitors.

Watercolours by Ailis Dewer from the exhibition (photo Lynn Stewart)

Speaking of how the idea for the exhibition came into being, Mairi explained that during her time as a teacher of Gaelic in Islay High School she would see the work of pupils being displayed in the corridor outside the art rooms and often found the work of two pupils in particular seemed to stand out.

Not so many years later a casual discussion with one of the former pupils set Mairi to thinking it was a pity that such talent was confined to the school corridors and that there were few opportunities for young artists to present their work to the wider community on the island – and so the idea to create such an opportunity was born.

The former pupils in question were local residents Ailis Dewer and Jenny Husthwaite, and the talent on display here this evening shows that a notion that started life as an informal chat one night out on the “deoch” (for the non-Gaelic speakers out there, this translates to a night on the tiles, as it were) was a very good idea indeed.

Ailis is now a student of textiles at Glasgow School of Art, and while Jenny does not formally study the subject her artistic flair shone superlatively through the pieces she had on display. Jenny explained she doesn’t often get the chance to indulge in her passion, but I’m glad she managed to grab some precious time to produce the pieces for the exhibition. It would have been a far less colourful wall without them.

Jenny’s work tended to be more abstract, where the spectator’s eye is filled with the vibrant explosion of colour and bold lines, making you want to stand further back to allow the mind to take in the whole vivid composition in its entirety, while Ailis’s elegant watercolours draw the eyes in for a closer look at the breathtaking detail and stunning accuracy of the representations of nature that dominated her displays.

Work from the show by Jenny Husthwaite (photo Lynn Stewart)

As someone who is not particularly knowledgeable about artistic movements, styles or terms, I am not looking to analyse any of the works I saw tonight, but my eye can appreciate aesthetic merit when it sees it, and the main thing I took away from tonight is the “can do” attitude that was exemplified by the people involved, proving the significance of the ever relevant old adage of “if you want something done, do it yourself”.

The faith that was shown in local talent and the time spent ensuring they were not left in the shadows of the school corridors but rather out there for people to see, appreciate and be proud of is what is, for me, the most valuable outcome of this event.

There is an abundance of artistic talent and worth on the island, even if we don’t always know it’s there. Tonight’s effort is a welcome reminder and, more than anything, shows how important it is to not hang around waiting patiently for opportunity to come a-knocking, but to make sure you knock on its door first.

Completing the exhibition were some striking photographs on canvas of scenes around Islay, and wonderfully intricate match-craft by local residents Bobby Whittam and Jim Wilson, respectively; contemporary hand-crafted jewellery by a friend of Mairi’s, Cassie Law, and last but not least Mairi herself – a very talented but modest artist – who had a variety of wonderful arts and crafts on display, including some beautiful drawings that were both pensive and poignant in their stillness, where you couldn’t help but wonder what thoughts the figures might have been thinking.

Intricate match-craft by Jim Wilson (photo Lynn Stewart)

The night was made all the more meaningful as Mairi explained that the donations asked for on entry, as well as any profit made by the sale of Mairi’s work in particular, will be given to the Linda Norgrove Foundation. Linda was tragically murdered in Afghanistan in October last year, and the foundation set up in her memory is a grant-giving trust that provides funding for women and children affected by the war in Afghanistan.

Linda was an aid worker who grew up on Mairi’s native island of Lewis, and Mairi’s dedication to the cause was evident in her sincere and heartfelt words.

The exhibition will be on display for people to look at and browse over the next two weeks, and as luck would have it the centre’s café is also situated in the atrium, surrounded by the artwork, which means you can effortlessly drink in the art while drinking in a coffee, and if anything happens to take your fancy, most of the work is for sale, apart from a few personal items that were for display only.

So, even if not an art lover or enthusiast there are plenty of reasons to bring you out in support: local talent and initiative, worthy charitable causes and, of course, a nice cuppa and a good blether.

© Lynn Stewart, 2011

Links

• Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle