Arts Residency - Previous Years
2020
Alex MacKay
The 2020 Artist in Residence was Alex MacKay a sound-based artist and composer whose focus and inspiration for his work was Suilven.
You can watch a video Alex made about his experiences and journey here:-
And listen to the pieces that Alex composed here:-
Statement by Alex:
"The artist in residence program was a wonderful opportunity for me to develop my artistic practice in the midst of an amazingly distinct landscape. The fantastic possibilities to engage with the land and explore how I can create out in the open were complemented by the brilliant artist studio space which provided space and facilities for reflection, development, and experimentation, while its location and design maintained a strong connection to the landscape throughout. The community has created a wonderfully unique resource with the studio, and the CALLP/Assynt Foundation team (and the broader community) were really helpful supportive throughout my time spent there.
As well as the experience of making the work on location, the community engagement aspect of the program gave an important opportunity to not only give something back to the community that hosted me but also gave me a valuable different perspective on the work it was making. The participants, from primary school pupils to older residents, came with remarkable openness and enthusiasm to engage with activities and concepts previously unfamiliar to many, which was a greatly reaffirming experience for me - proving that challenging or experimental artistic ideas can exist and resonate well outside of the established institutions.
I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity and I'm really looking forward to seeing the work that results from the residency in the future and how creative activity in Assynt develops more broadly as a result of the fantastic work done so far."
2018
Julia Cowie
The 2018 Artist in Residence was Julia Cowie who is a jewellery designer and bronze sculptor and artist. Her focus and inspiration for her artwork was Clachtoll Broch.
You can read about Julia's experiences here:-
Julia Cowie Blog - October 2018
Julia Cowie Blog - December 2018