Today’s sketch is of the lovely sailing boat called The Leader which sailed around Eigg while I was there. To be more accurate (I’m no boat expert) it’s described on the website as a gaff-rigged ketch – built in Brixham, Devon in 1892.

Apologies for the delay in posting this blog. I’d aimed to post every day but events have a way of taking over don’t they?!

At the moment I’m applying for crowd funding from Ideas Tap for next year’s Eigg exhibition and awaiting results from my application to Creative Scotland, but like everyone else in Scotland I’m also steeped in referendum news. It’s getting quite fraught in the run up before the Scottish referendum results on Friday, and all social media is teeming with posts, campaigns and opinions.

I’ll be attending a referendum results party as part of an exhibition at Edinburgh University’s Talbot Rice gallery, where a mix of yes and no voters will watch results between 11pm to 6am, at which time. Depending on the result, 12 confetti guns will explode, or not!

It’s called ‘After the revolution, who will clear up the mess’. And I think it’s a great way to be with fellow voters, whether they’re yes or no, so we can all give each other a hug on Friday morning. It’s going to be emotional, I can tell!

I think I can date my decision to vote Yes to independence from April this year, when I visited Eigg and saw for myself how autonomy benefits communities. Without this, Eigg would never be in the position it’s in now, with young people moving back to the island because there are more opportunities, and the 24 hour renewable energy system. Previous to the community buy-out in 1998, the community of Eigg wouldn’t have had decision-making powers on energy, or jobs or houses. (You can read about how it happened Here )

This September visit to Eigg was very illuminating as there were more events and people to meet. Chatting to people there I learned that there are plans to fund a documentary about the island, but previous filmmakers have wanted to somewhat romantically portray this as wild island with indigenous Scots working away in candle-lit bothys! But the reality is an island of Scottish, English and people from other countries who want to see progression, whilst also protecting their way of life and landscape. It’s no doubt complicated at times, but ultimately collaborative because the islanders are equal to one another in terms of ownership of the island.

I’ll be working on more paintings over the next few weeks, and updating on news about next year’s exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. In the meantime, here are a few more photos from my recent trip..