Assynt Sutras
I have lived in Assynt for the best part of two decades. Each year, my relationship with the landscape grows deeper: as I tread familiar paths in and around my village; as I scan the same horizon in every weather condition; as I watch each season come and go. Last year I took some time out to learn a bit more about the geology of the area and this has increased my understanding of the underlying character of the land and of the powerful forces that have shaped the skeletal mountains and formed the peaty moors that are carved through with inky black lochs.
This collection of work is a search for the essential nature of Assynt, exploring its deep past and the impact of the more recent and fragile presence of its human population. The word ‘Sutra’ is from the ancient language of Sanskrit, and originally meant a thread. It is commonly used to describe a story or aphorism containing an essential truth. The modern word ‘suture’ is used to describe a seam: the stitching or binding together of a form.
During September 2015 a selection of these works was exhibited at the Ceilidh Place, Ullapool. As I continue to explore and expand on this theme, new works will be added.
Work on a related theme can be seen on the The Fabric of the Land page.
Please click on an image to see the full picture.