Artist in Residence 2023

Gaelic artist Iseabal Hendry was recently selected for the annual Tobar an Dualchais (TAD)/ATLAS Arts residency to explore and create work relating to the oral heritage recordings available on its website. This is the fourth year that this exciting opportunity has been offered in partnership with ATLAS Arts, the Skye and Lochalsh-based arts organisation.

Born and raised in the Highlands, Iseabal is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art. She lives in Lochcarron and is inspired by traditional craft skills which she grew up with, from basket-weaving to boatbuilding and roof-thatching. Her creative practice is materially-led, inspired by sustainability, zero-waste and her family heritage in leatherwork. Iseabal's work weaves together environmental values and a modern aesthetic based on time-honoured techniques and materials, within the context of a landscape which continually inspires her work.

Working by hand also gives Iseabal a deep understanding of her materials. The organic process of vegetable-tanning leather results in a unique patina which changes over time, dependent on how it’s handled. This ever-changing quality mirrors the Highland landscape which continually transforms with the shifting light.