Hulabhaig News: June 2026
Curating the Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art.
Half way through the year already and the UK heatwave has once again failed to reach our islands. While most of the UK gets record temperatures, we get ‘slightly above average’, and it has rained most days. But that’s fine by me.
This morning I had a very special visitor, one that reminds you why you are here, why you love these islands and why sharing my garden with wildlife is so important.
A fleating glimpse of something in one of the drainage ditches to the front of my house and I immediatly new what it was. I quickly went to the back door and skirted myself around the house and up into the wooded area of my garden, I knew the ditch was fed by a stream coming off the moors at the top of my garden. There I waited… Realising I had not brought my iphone but that didn’t matter, crouching down I could see the approaching otter working his way up the stream, it was a foot away from me before he saw me, he came, he sniffed and then just continued up stream into the moor. Special!
The Byre @ Hulabhaig
Mary Morrison’s exhibition came down last weekend and this week I’ll be busy installing the next one. Uinneag (Window).
Opening Event: Saturday 4th July 2026 2-8pm. Meet the Artist 2-4pm.
New work by five artists from across Scotland, all of whom are inspired by place and the Gaelic way of seeing. Brought together by Reothart nan Ealain’s Place-based continuum course.
Rosemary Everett,
Angela MacGillivray,
Gwen MacQuarrie,
Jane G. Smith,
Meg Telfer.
Free to attend and all welcome but booking is essential.
Articles about Island Contemporary Art
Welcome to the Library of Impossible Places
From Punk to the Surreal: John Maher’s Hebridean Transformation of Stornoway Library.
Walking into Stornoway’s public library, the artwork adorning the walls hits you first as pure surrealism. Traditional Outer Hebridean motifs—the Lewis Chessmen, ancient shielings, the imposing form of Carloway Broch, Callanish all feature, many hang suspended in the air. But as you explore further, a distinct pattern emerges. These floating anomalies aren’t random; they nod directly to our island’s tourist economy.
Historic icons stand alongside antiquated tourist buses, empty caravans and Calmac ferries, mimicking the polished imagery of endless travel leaflets. It leaves you with a lingering, provocative question: are these pieces celebrating that bustling visitor culture, or existing in spite of it? READ MORE…
New Work for the Collection
The latest addition to the collection is from Orkney artist Samantha Clark.
Shaped by Orkney’s dynamic natural environment of wind, sky and particularly water, Samantha Clark’s paintings invite us to notice how water permeates everything: sea, lake, stream, cloud, rain, sky, fog, tears, sweat, piss, breath, blood and bone; as we inhabit a liquid reality that interpenetrates our own bodies and minds.
Dates for your Diary.
The Byre at Hulabhaig.
Saturday 4th July to 24 July 2026
Uinneag (Window)
New work by five female artists from across Scotland, all of whom are inspired by place and the Gaelic way of seeing.
Rosemary Everett, Angela MacGillivray, Gwen MacQuarrie, Jane G. Smith and Meg Telfer.
Saturday 8th August to 28th August 2026
Faileas (Reflected Image, Shadow...)
New work from Lewis artist Ishbel Murray.
Online Shows
Currently showing online at www.hulabhaig.com with artworks for sale from £200.
my music is the music of your stones, Mary Morrison.
Solo show of new work from Harris based Mary Morrison is now viewable online.
Painterly Effervescence, David Knight.
New work from Lewis based artist David Knight. Our first exhibition at the Byre, Painterly Effervescence is now viewable online.
As An Eilean Seo (Of This Island) - Sandra Kennedy
A carefully selected collection of works by island artist Sandra Kennedy to compliment the 2 artworks, A’ Coiseachd (Walking) and Aiteal (Transient View) included in the Hulabhaig collection.
Bonnie Truth - Stephan-Maria Aust
A selection of photographic works from Harris based artist Stephan-Maria Aust.
‘Bonnie Truth’ impressively combines artistic beauty and social responsibility – art that challenges viewing habits and inspires action. A work as a powerful statement in any space. Limited edition Giclée Prints on Hahnemühle Fine Art paper from £600.
Explore Hulabhaig
39 Articles | 26 Artists | 55 Artworks | 20 Exhibitions | 36 Artworks For Sale
The Hulabhaig Collection is a growing collection of Island Contemporary Art, a research project into an islands visual art identity.
The Byre at Hulabhaig is a new contemporary art space, a space for artists to explore possibilities and inspire new work, a chance to see work in a contemporary ‘White Cube’ space.
My aim as curator, it is to reach out to artists whose work is very much ‘of these islands’. I hope to meet artists, discuss ideas and influences, explore contemporary and historic issues delivered though island visual art and follow up with further research to document and share my findings.
And on the way maybe acquire some great artworks for the collection.
Thank you for following and reading about Hulabhaig. Please share as you wish and I’d encourage anyone who wishes to follow Hulabhaig to Subscribe via our website.
If you wish to view the collection, we are Open by Appointment Tuesday to Saturday, so just drop me an email to arrange a convenient time to visit.