In November 2015 I was selected to take part in a new residency project on Eilean Shona, a remote island on the west coast of Scotland.

The pilot project involved a 4 day programme of events, talks and chances to make work, and centred around responding to the physical character of the island itself.
We had talks and seminars from different contributors, including a wonderful talk by Gavin Parsons on “Islandness” which gave us an insight into the social history of the land.

Another highlight was taking part in the Lights Out Listening Group which involved a group listening event, played in the dark on our last night on the island. The recordings and performances we listened to were made by participants during the programme, as well as external contributors. My contribution was a piece called “Donald” which I made with my grandfather via telephone whilst sitting on the highest part of the island. You can hear it on the Lights Out Listening Group page.

I am currently planning a series of art works based on my time on Shona, but in the meantime you can read the blog of the project here.

I took several pinhole photographs on the island, which I developed in a makeshift darkroom on site. Some of them are here.