Vanessa Langley - Machair & Feamainn

About

Traditionally seaweeds,  feamainn in Gaelic, have always been part of Hebridean culture. Whether it was in forced labour burning kelp for absentee landlords. or women in their traditional thatched stone cottages cooking red carrageen for a milk like jelly, the outstanding natural goodness of seaweeds has  been part of daily life for centuries. Crofters have always had the right to take these nourishing weeds from the shore to organically fertilise the unique rich loam soils of the machair for forage crops or potatoes.

Walking the  beauty of the machair in the west or the heather clad hinterland in the east, wild flowers are prolific. Wild orchids, the rare brilliantly pink pyramid,  red and pink clovers, and the delicate blue of the harebell light up the landscape gloriously in May and June, a photographers delight.  The caribbean turquoise of the seas, an unbelievable azure blue makes you reach for the camera, and I do, to enshrine these island images into photocards, of which few are repeats.

The coastal shore is dominated by the peaks of Beinn Mhor, Choradail, and Thacla which look down on gentle drifting fronds of seaweeds brought in by the atlantic currents. Donning wellies I wade and hand gather the brilliant reds, oranges and greens of these seaflorals which I hand press. Each unique delicate picture  takes about two weeks to finish, everyone different. Like the flowers, seaweeds have their seasons, the browns of feather winged weed in winter and the brighter beautiful pinks and reds of sea oak and beech later in the year.

Pop into Uist Craft Producers, our collective shop at  Kildonan  Museum and Cafe site for a warm welcome . Open during the summer we have over 30 members showcasing their creativity.  Or for that special gift visit Shoreline Gallery, North Uist, open all year.