LUSKENTYRE, Seilebost, Horgabost and Huisnis – all names of beaches for which one particular corner of the Western Isles is justly famous.

BUT while the west coast of Harris is certainly not short of a beautiful beach or two, it has arguably been somewhat lacking on facilities for the visitor in need of a cuppa. Until now, that is. For a new art gallery and coffee shop, Hebrides Art, has opened for business in Seilebost.

The gallery is the realisation of a dream for artist couple Alisdair and Lesley Wiseman, who have been visiting Harris since 1998 and made the life-changing decision last year to turn their self-catering cottage into a permanent home and business.

And what a result. Their motto – “gallery, gifts and great cakes” – sums up what Hebrides Art is all about, and the Wisemans have created a relaxed and contemporary venue, inspired by nature.

There are around 200 works of art on show in four distinct display areas, by a wide range of artists including the Wisemans themselves, as well as other crafts. All the work in the gallery is evocative of the Hebrides, with a focus on Harris, Lewis and St Kilda.

Many of the works have been made by local Hebridean artists and artisans, including painters Margarita Williams, Mairi Morrison, Anne Campbell, Gareth Watson and Simon Rivett, and recycled glass sculptor Stella White of Solas Studio in South Uist.

Others have been sourced from elsewhere but still resonate strongly with the spirit of the islands. They include the raku St Kilda houses – unique pieces of contemporary pottery fired outside in an open pit, with black crackling through the glaze – by London-based Rowena Brown, and ‘stone’ candles by Irish craftsman Larry Kinsella, which are virtually indistinguishable from the large pebbles to be found on any Hebridean beach.

As well as sourcing craftwork evocative of the Hebrides, the Wisemans have also commissioned pieces especially for the gallery. These include silver jewellery made exclusively for Hebrides Art by Yorkshire-based jeweller Liz Jenks, some of them to the Wisemans’ own designs.

There is, of course, a wide range of the Wisemans’ own work on offer at the gallery. Over the years, their paintings have captured scenes of Harris in all weathers, all lights and from all perspectives.

The Wisemans have very different styles as artists – Lesley paints bold abstracts on silk while Alisdair creates incredibly detailed watercolours – but both are inspired by the beautiful island landscape.

They have recently brought out a book, in fact, which showcases their paintings of the island. Entitled Two Views of Harris, and published by Acair, it proves that Lesley and Alisdair are far from being strangers to the Western Isles.

They are great believers in the wealth of talent that exists throughout the islands, and in the power of the Hebrides to inspire, and hope to establish Hebrides Art as a showcase of that talent.

Alasdair, Lesley and Cara

Art is at the heart of everything they do. Even the young woman who works at the gallery as front-of-house, Cara Henry, is also an artist whose work is on display. Cara is a graduate from Gray’s School of Art and now lives in Luskentyre, although she is originally from the Borders.

For her, this is the ideal job: “It’s perfect for me,” she said, “because it’s art. I wanted to work in a gallery and I get to display my art as well!”

The Wisemans’ aim at Hebrides Art is to provide an “outstanding service” and they began the transformation of the house, Caberfeidh, last autumn. The couple admitted the physical process was challenging, but they are delighted with the finished result.

The artist’s attention to detail is clear throughout, and every kind of visitor has been catered for, including wheelchair users, cyclists and even four-legged friends.

The Wisemans have also embraced all the necessary stipulations with style. In place of a regular wheelchair ramp, for example, they have created a striking jetty-style entrance to the building.

Quality is the obvious watchword, too, when it comes to the menu. The Wisemans’ aim is “to do a relatively small number of things but to do them as well as we possibly can”. So they offer a selection of soups, cakes and breads – all homemade by Lesley – and a choice of beverages.

The couple decided against cappuccinos and lattes and decided instead to offer traditional coffee – in a variety of roasts – served in a double-walled cafetiere, to ensure, quite simply, that the second cup is as hot as the first.

Thoughtfully, the tables in the cafe are placed away from the walls so that people browsing the art can do so without peering over the heads of those at the tables. Should they want to make a purchase, the Wisemans have aimed to provide artwork “at every price point” – and in all sizes, for those who may be travelling.

The cafe is open six days a week, from 10.30am till 6pm, from April to September. It will be open two or three days a week during the quieter months, with the exception of the run-up to Christmas, when it will be open more, and in January, when it will close for a month.

Looking back on their first day, Lesley said: “It was scary because it was all so new. Simple things, that will become second nature, like operating the till and credit card machine were so alien to me.

“Obviously we wanted to offer a professional service and we’d never done anything like this before, so it was a bit daunting to serve cakes to the ladies of Harris, who are such good bakers.”

However, the feedback so far has been “overwhelmingly positive”, which makes all the hard work worthwhile. Alisdair said: “It’s very rewarding and it’s great fun. We have lots of laughs, which is brilliant, and it’s lovely to see other people enjoying what we’ve created here.

“We’re absolutely delighted with the end result. It’s a beautiful space and we’re very proud of it.”

© Katie Laing, 2011

Hebrides Art