Artist Statement:
My work is about experiences of nature and how landscape shapes bodies, thoughts, language and feelings.
My imagination is in conversation with the natural environment around my island village Marvig. The scree slopes and sea cliffs are the backdrop for all kinds of narratives. Histories of people who have passed through merge with the contemporary. There’s a relationship between people and place that ties us to the sea and the land, this bond is what I pay most attention to.
My art comes from observation, I look for new perspectives about things I notice. There is always something to discover even if I walk the same route every day. Our world is in motion, in constant sometimes accelerated change, this is keenly felt on all islands.
I’m fascinated to learn from the way others describe their experiences of the local land and sea - it might be through island poems and songs; or friends who come to visit. I love to collect Gaelic stories from the people here and these also feed into my work. Some of these can be found on this link.
If you would like more information; a virtual studio visit; or to reach out about a collaborative project you may be working on, you are welcome to email at sandrakennedy@mac.com.
Sandra Kennedy C.V
Selected Exhibitions
2025 Group Show 40-40 An Lanntair, 40th Year celebratory exhibition.
2024 Group show Ulaidgean/ Treasures Group show Scottish Society of Artists.
2022 Solo Show -Casruisg/ Barefooted An Lanntair.
2021 Two person show - Eadar Muir is Tìr CNS Ness Isle of Lewis.
2020 Online exhibition- Pause Scottish Society of Artists.
2016 Le Mùirn group exhibition The Briggait Glasgow.
2013 Solo show, Museum of Modern Art, Tabernacle Machynlleth, Wales.
2012 Corridor show, AGA Amsterdam.
2010 Group Show Ars Navigare, Forum Marinum, Turku, Finland
2010 Group show TIR, Oriel Plan Glyn y Weddw Wales.
2008/2009, 2012 Group Show Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen.
2007 Two Person show with Calum Angus Mackay Suathadh Dileab/ Touching Heritage An Lanntair.
1992 Two person show with Mary Morrison New work An Lanntair.
1992 Solo Show of works on paper, Ifusagi Haz, Pecs, Hungary.
1996 Solo show Dunedin Gallery, Edinburgh.
Commissions, Projects
2023-2024 Pairc Landscape Project Relationships with landscape research project through workshops UHI, Pairc Trust and Nature Scotland.
2022-2023 Culture Collective- Shetland Arts. Gaelic story telling collections.
2021-2022 Làn Thìde, Climate Beacon- audio works based on collaboration with climate scientist Dr James Pope Met office.
2022 Cosàn Gabhla Outdoor event with poets and visual artists- Installation piece.
2019-2022 Artists Support, for An Lanntair Arts Centre, Isle of Lewis.
2020 Mapping Project - Recovering lost place names, An Lanntair.
2016 Le Mùirn- Paintings about the songs of Murdo MacFarlane - Glasgow life.
2014 Collaborative project with elderly community Memory Books An Lanntair.
2006 Sculpture on the theme of home, Mac TV arts documentary.
2000-2003 An Turas artist/ architect commission, for Tiree Art Enterprises.
1998 Site specific installation, commission Eolas TV arts documentary.
Artists Residencies
2011 AGA Amsterdam, printmaking workshop.
2010 Arts Navigare, group sailing residency aboard SV Helena, Cherbourg to Kiel.
2009 TIR residency at Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw, Wales
2009 Dwelling Places, Art workshops with community groups, Kampala Uganda
2005/2006 GASD National Gaelic Arts Project, Isle of Lewis
1996 Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Aberdeen International Young Artists Festival
Production Design/ film making
2021 Production designer short film Cum Sul Orm, for Corran Media.
2021 Production Designer short film Piano, for Mac TV.
2013/14 Workshops making 4 short films with young people Cinèma Cent Ans de Jeunesse Filmhouse Edinburgh.
Further Education
1990 Grays School of Art, Aberdeen BA(hons) Sculpture
2000 Central St Martins School of Art and Design MA Scenography/ Performance