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In September 2019, my husband David Knight and myself moved from North Yorkshire to Cliff, Valtos, Uig, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9HP. We are both influenced by the surrounding landscape but our work process is very different, David is abstract and I am literal.
The move gave us both a studio workspace in the most aesthetically stimulating environment. We started renovating the old barn into the studio and hoped to open in April 2020, but COVID-19 put a delay on that plan. We did eventually open August - October, the weather was great and the island was beautiful and busy, just as it should be.
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'Rockpool Reflections'
Oil Painting on handmade Indian Khadi paper
36cm x 36cm
2021
private collection
Open April - October, Monday - Saturday 11am - 5pm
November - March viewing by appointment
cliffstudiovaltos@hotmail.com
'Ungishdaer'
charcoal & graphite drawing
90cm x 90cm
2021
private collection
This is the site of a Viking harbour. The boats would sail into Loch Roag and be pulled onto the seaweed covered foreground then tethered around the triangular rock in the centre. The remains of a Norse mill are in the little ravine just behind the Rowan tree.
'Ungishader'
oil painting on handmade Indian Khadi paper
56cm x 56cm
2021
private collection
'Peatlands'
oil painting on handmade Indian Khadi paper
18cm x 18cm
2021
private collection
'Top of the Peat Track'
oil painting on handmade Indian Kadi paper
18cm x 18cm
2021
private collection
'Edge of Formation'
charcoal & graphite on paper
90cm x 90cm
2020
Cliff sea arch is just off the beach on the right hand side.
The cliffs are high and rich in varied geological rock formations, the colours and textures are amazing.
'Cliff Waterfall"
mixed media painting on Indian Khadi paper
36cm x 36cm
2020
private collection
'Peat Track'
mixed media painting on Indian Khadi paper
36cm x 36cm
2020
private collection
'Cliff Ridge'
mixed media painting on handmade Indian Khadi paper
68cm x 68cm
2020
private collection
'Cliff'
oil painting on handmade Indian Khadi paper
36cm x 36cm
2021
private collection
'Fin - cradled by the rocks'
charcoal & graphite drawing
114cm x 114cm
2021
Private collection
On mothers day we were saddened to discover this 50ft Fin Whale washed up on Cliff Beach. Due to COVID restrictions a post mortum could not be carried out to establish the cause of death. It is thought that the whale died out at sea, possibly from a virus or natural causes, maybe with some elements of consumed plastics in his system.
The rocks supported the huge body of this magnificent mammal, sympathetically cradling its remains. The throats grooves were gathered and folding like a striped piece of linen and part of the baleen sack was floating free of its bashed mouth and broken jaw.
Each year 100,000 marine mammals, whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea lions globally die a result of plastic pollution, often from waste equipment of the fishing industry.
'Esras Remains'
watercolour study
18cm x 14cm
2021
'Esras Bones'
charcoal & graphite study
15cm x 15cm
2021
private collection
'Remnants of Esra'
charcoal & graphite study
15cm x 15cm
2021
Esra is a shipwreck buried beneath the sands on Cliff beach. Rarely the tides reveal the remains of the vessel, this February the shipwreck was visible for a week.
In 1898 the Norwegian Barque vessel, with three masts, was travelling from Norway to Ireland with a cargo of wood. As the ship passed around the point of Ness in a storm, its rudder was damaged. The crew of twelve looked for somewhere to beach the vessel and headed into Cliff.
A local man to Cliff watched Esra heading into shore, he managed to get a rope to the distressed ship and saved all of the Norwegian crew, who sheltered in the homes at Cliff until they were able to travel home.
The cargo of wood was used in some of the homes in Cliff and also in Baile na Cille church at Temsgarry.
'Evening Light'
oil painting on Indian Khadi paper
18cm x 18cm
2021
private collection
'January morning moon'
oil painting on Indian Khadi paper
18cm x 18cm
2021
private collection
'Cliff Beach'
mixed media on Indian Khadi paper
36cm x36cm
2021
private collection
'Isolation'
charcoal & graphite
90cm x 90cm. 2020
private collection
'Uig'
watercolour and pastel
30cm x 30cm 2020
private collection
'Valtos Sea Arch'
oil painting
18cm x 18cm. 2021
private collection
'Pabaigh Sea Arch'
oil painting
18cm x 18cm. 2021
private collection
'Hebridean Peatland'
oil painting on Indian Khadi 2021
56cm x 56cm
private collection
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