A significant employer in one of the north’s most fragile areas has announced a six-figure investment this week, after securing a £33,360 contribution from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Skyeskyns Ltd, based in Waternish in north west Skye, is the only commercial scale woolskin tannery in Scotland and one of only two in the UK.

The business is investing over £100,000 in the construction of a new building that will enable operational workflow improvements to be made. The development will help secure 18 jobs and increase turnover by around a third.

With steel work nearly complete, the new facility should be operational by late April.

The family-run company established in 1983 also incorporates a five star tourist attraction. This draws more than 17,000 visitors a year to see the high quality sheepskin products being manufactured using traditional processes.

Dave Till, Skyeskyns general manager, said: “We will be incorporating a dedicated goods inward facility, increased storage capacity and a packing and dispatch area. This will accommodate increasing business from the showroom and online orders without impacting production flow in the tannery.

“Once these operations have moved into the new building, the tannery can expand into the space left behind and this should improve overall capacity and the visitor experience too.”

Providing sheepskin products from rare breeds and a devotion to high quality manufacturing processes allows Skyeskyns to tap into high end, niche markets.

Raine MacLennan, HIE development manager for Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross said: “Skyeskyns has an excellent reputation for quality and customer service. Addressing production bottlenecks will help it improve efficiency, increase sales and grow its international presence.

“The company is a significant local employer in Waternish. Working with other businesses in the Visit Waternish marketing group helps to attract thousands of visitors off the main road each year into one of the most fragile and remote parts of the Highlands and Islands. Skyeskyns is therefore an economic catalyst that effectively disperses tourist traffic to other local businesses and communities in northern Skye.”

You can find out more about Skyeskyns at www.skyeskyns.co.uk

This Spring, Orkney jewellery designer, Zoe Davidson launches her jewellery business from her workshop in the picturesque town of Stromness, find out more about Zoe and her work below:

Life

Born in the wilds of Borneo, diving among corals and sharks when 4, exploring the tangled green jungles, and living with Iban and Kelabit tribes in their huge wooden stilt longhouses.

Lived her teens back in their 153 year old family house in Stromness, took an interest in drawing and painting the rugged isles coastlines, sailing their family’s traditional wooden yole off the Old Man of Hoy, fishing under the huge 1200 foot cliffs.

Developed design and jewellery skills for 4 years in Dundee at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. Experimented life on the hectic side in Amsterdam working 14 hour shifts with Fashion Designer, Iris Van Herpen: laser-cutting, hot air acrylic forming, animal skin sewing and… metal! 6 months of double Dutch led to Plockton and Gilly Langton Jewellery, a haven of calmness, encouragement and bright colours.

3 months later, returned to Orkney and honed more skills with 2 local jewellers of different styles. And off to London for a specialist course in high quality polishing with “Guru”, Stephen Goldsmith.

Then Zoe Davidson Jewellery began to take shape in a peedie room off the family home in Stromness 2016. Hoy Sound collection and bespoke commissions started to emerge, big and small.

Art

Zoe found fold form when experimenting at Art College. An ancient form of origami in metal, well suited to the flowing and sculptural shapes she was trying to evoke. Reflecting the swirling tides and curling waves around Orkney’s shores.

Hammered, heated and folded continuously by hand to form curves and the rippled texture of the sea. Truly hand made in Orkney.

Unique Orkney jewellery. As unique as our islands. Each piece varies as each piece is hand made. A peedie work of art you can wear.

Semi precious stones are folded into her works of art to highlight what is naturally so beautiful in Orkney’s seas. Mystery, surprise and delight.

“Each piece hand made and very different.

As you are.” - Zoe Davidson Jewellery

Visit Zoe’s website at www.zoedavidsonjewellery.co.uk to see the variety of shape and style.

Visit Orkney and Zoe’s workshop in Stromness to see and feel the sparkle and flow of this unique jewellery.

The official launch night of Zoe Davidson Jewellery takes place on the 30th of April 2016.
More information on this event will follow on social media platforms.

• Email: [email protected]
• Zoe’s Facebook Page: Zoe Davidson Jewellery
• Zoe’s Instagram: zoedavidsonjewellery
• Zoe’s Twitter: @zdavidson2

The Creative and Cultural Industries department at Shetland College UHI are now taking applications for a new BA (Hons) Fine Art degree, which will start in September 2016.

The degree compliments the well established BA (Hons) Contemporary Textiles and provides a local progression route for the National Certificate Art and Design Portfolio course. The programme has been developed across the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and will be taught in Shetland by professionals with expertise in their field. Students will be able to draw on the wider UHI Fine Art teaching team as some modules will be networked via video conference technology. This will enable student group discussion and expertise to be shared across the UHI network. Furthermore, students will benefit from an exciting programme of visiting speakers as well as have the opportunity to go on an annual study trip to a major cultural centre.

The course aims to develop a strong technical and conceptual framework in an experimental and supportive environment to enable students to become professional artists using the media of their choice. Students can choose to specialise using traditional or new media in both two and three dimensions including painting, drawing, lens based media, printmaking and sculptural studies - all of which are underpinned by contextual and critical studies. As students progress through the course they will identify their specialist interests to develop a body of work towards their final Degree Show.

The course is suitable for applicants with diverse experience, including Advanced Higher art students in secondary schools; students progressing from NC Art and Design courses and mature students who have relevant experience and interest.

Roxane Permar, BA (Hons) Fine Art Site Leader, said “We are delighted to finally be able to offer this course, which will provide a much-needed opportunity to study art to a higher level than ever previously offered in Shetland. I am sure it will contribute very positively to the future development of visual arts here. Our team looks forward to working together with our future students and is excited by the prospect of working with arts agencies, communities and colleagues from across the UHI network”.

To find out more about the course and to apply online visit

https://www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-fine-art

Photo: Work by Lorna Syme for the Degree Show 2015, Moray School of Art, Moray College UHI, Degree Show 2011 Picture by Gordon Lennox 15/06/2015