Greetings from the Isle of Lewis – RSA Residencies for Scotland
I’m now in my final week of my artist residency on the Isle of Lewis as part of the RSA Residencies for Scotland. I’m writing from a cozy house near Stornoway on a blustery Monday afternoon, after nearly a month of sunshine.
Over the past four weeks, I’ve been creating new paintings and conducting research in the landscape and at a family home in Sandwick. I’ve also connected with the local art community, attended some fantastic exhibitions, a concert, and met some inspiring artists. It’s been an amazing month, and I’ll be sad to leave when I return home on June 9th.
Where domestic archaeology meets landscape
My project here has focused on exploring the relationship between domestic spaces and the natural landscape of the Isle of Lewis. Working both outdoors and inside a family home, I’ve been investigating how objects, interiors, ruins, and structures carry emotional and historical meaning.
This process feels like a kind of archaeology—uncovering nostalgic layers where personal memory overlaps with the collective past. In this landscape, the domestic and the ancient sit side by side, creating a powerful dialogue between home and history.
May brought glorious weather (and a sprained ankle)
I arrived on May 11th, greeted by a spell of glorious spring sunshine. Though a badly sprained ankle made the journey from Edinburgh a bit longer than planned, I quickly set up a temporary studio at the back of the house. Surrounded by lambs and ewes, I began my initial research—it was idyllic!
Despite the injury, I managed to visit incredible locations across the island, including Bolstadh, Ness, and Tolsta.
Objects and interiors
With my ankle strapped and advised by the NHS to keep it elevated, a good part of my first week on Lewis was spent drawing, painting, and filming objects found in the house—beautiful, a bit kitschy, a bit mysterious, these items seem full of hidden stories. They aren’t my objects, which adds to their allure. I’ve been imagining them as characters, each with their own narrative.
A visit to shielings near Ness
With my ankle slowly healing, I was fortunate to be taken on a tour of a ‘glen’ filled with traditional shielings near Ness. These small huts varied from fully restored to almost completely in ruins. One had a mug still sitting on the windowsill from a previous visit. Others were airtight, maintained with care, complete with lace curtains.
It was incredible to get out walking again after a week of rest—especially in such an amazing place.
Bostadh Beach: echoes of the Iron Age
In my third week, my husband Andy joined me, and we ventured to Bostadh beach on Great Bernera. The weather had turned wild—wind, rain, and sudden sun—but the shifting skies created breathtaking cloud formations.
At Bostadh, we visited the replica Iron Age roundhouse, built in reference to three structures excavated and reburied in the 1990s. Nearby, we found the remains of a Viking stone house, adding another layer to the rich landscape of Lewis.
Wildlife and walking on the North East Coast
We also made it to Tolsta beach and explored the moorland along the North East Coast of Lewis. The path was gentle enough for my ankle, and the scenery was unforgettable. Along the way, we spotted seals, a golden eagle, and even a peregrine falcon.
We also encountered a round stone shieling, similar in form to the Iron Age structures we saw earlier—temporary shelters once used in the summer when moving livestock and still used as a bothy.
Reflecting on my art residency on the Isle of Lewis
This residency has been both productive and transformative. Working amidst the stunning landscape of the Isle of Lewis, immersed in its history has been a dream come true. As I finish my last bits of work and prepare to leave, I know my residency here will have an impact on my artist practice for months, even years to come.
Royal Scottish Academy Residencies for Scotland is an artist-led scheme which enables visual artists a period of research, development and production at partner venues across Scotland. In 2024, thirteen artists were awarded a total of £55,000 for residencies at partner venues in Scotland. Michele Marcoux is working with partner venue An Lanntair for her residency.
RSA Residencies for Scotland is funded by the Royal Scottish Academy W Gordon Smith & Jay Gordonsmith Bequest