Art, Craft & Music
An Lanntair Arts Centre
When in Stornoway, you can’t miss An Lanntair! An Lanntair is all things to all people, being our cinema, a concert hall, theatre, art gallery, bar and restaurant. You’ll also find a shop to buy souvenirs or local crafts. An Lanntair is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until late. (photo credit)
HebCelt Festival
The HebCelt returns for it’s 23rd annual festival during 18th to 21st July 2018. Celtic cultures tinged with contemporary traditional, rock, indie-folk and world influences. This music festival set in Stornoway’s Lews Castle grounds offers a great weekend of entertainment along with the island community who reach out a welcoming hand.
The Blue Pig Studio
Jane is based at the Blue Pig Studio in Carloway where she has a gallery displaying both her own contemporary artworks and those of other local artists. In her studio Jane also teaches art classes enabling others to create their own artworks. She also has the smallest tea room on the island!
Carloway Harris Tweeds
Crofter Norman MacKenzie is one of the last Lewis weavers still to use the historic Hattersley single width loom to produce this world famous, iconic cloth by hand. Pop in to Park House to watch the whole process being carried out and Norman will be happy to explain the traditions of Harris Tweed manufacture. You can buy the fabric directly from Norman too!
Borgh Pottery
Borgh Pottery is a studio pottery owned and run by Sue Blair. All the pots are hand thrown or hand built using traditional techniques which bring freshness and individuality to the work. The showroom is the sole outlet for the pottery and is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 6.00pm
Hebridean Soap Company
The Hebridean Soap Company are based in Breasclete, a little north of the Callanish Stones. Natural soap, the best ingredients, traditional methods. Visit their custom-built premises; a combined shop and working soap kitchen where you can also have a look around the workshop and find out how soap is made.
Simant Bostock Artist
Sculpture and photography inspired by Celtic Mythology and Hebridean Folklore. Simant’s gallery is based on Great Bernera.
Driftwater Weaves
Sallie Tyszko weaves strong, powerful tapestries, full of colour and texture on big floor looms at her studio in Great Bernera. Luminous mohair undulates through the waves of seascapes, the colour of the sea at dawn, the veins of a leaf, it’s all hand-dyed and hand-spun. Nothing is impossible!
Hebridean Baskets
Dawn Susan weaves a wondrous range of willow baskets and sculptures from her home grown willow on Great Bernera. She also runs regular weaving classes.
Skoon Art Cafe
Skoon Art Cafe is a small comfortable cafe tucked away on the east coast of the Isle of Harris. They focus on creating a space in which you can relax and enjoy the views outside and the original oil paintings inside.
The Mission House Studio
A converted church in the ‘Bays of Harris’ and the studio of photographer Beka Globe and ceramic artist Nickolai Globe. The studio overlooks the desolate and stunning rocky landscape of the Bays of Harris and is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm until October 31st. Winter opening by appointment.
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed Isle of Harris and Harris Tweed Knitwear belong to the Campbell family. You can read more about the long history of this weaving family on their website. Visit the Harris Tweed Exhibition in Drinshader and watch their weaving demonstration.
Holmasaig Gallery
Hebridean artist Margarita Williams DA (Glas) lives in her home village of Quidinish in south east Harris where her studio/gallery sits in a beautiful setting overlooking Loch Finsbay. Her varied art works reflect the changing light on the unique Hebridean landscape, sea and the myriad wild flowers of the machair.
Hebscape Gallery
Hebscape Gallery & Tearoom is located in Ardhasaig just north of Tarbert and is the base for fine art landscape photographer Darren Cole. A professional photographer and tutor Darren relocated to the Isle of Harris in 2013. His studio is open April to September, Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 4.30pm
From The Land
If you love wild places and Harris Tweed, you’ll adore Ian Lawson’s masterwork ‘From the Land Comes the Cloth.’ A world of elemental beauty brought vividly to life, this gorgeous book weaves a personal journey of discovery into the story of tweed from land to loom. With 280 timeless images of landscapes, crofters and tweed, this magnificent artwork offers the viewer an insight through the window of a hidden world that has survived for centuries off the northwest coast of Scotland.
The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May
If you fancy reading some good crime books whilst getting a real feel for the Outer Hebrides, try the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. “The Blackhouse” will give you some insight into the Guga Hunters, “The Lewis Man” will introduce you to the joys of peat and “The Chessmen” will provide you with many interesting glimpses of Uig! You will find a set of the Lewis Trilogy on the SEAcroft bookshelves, as well as a host of other Peter May works.
