UIST CRAFTS WORKSHOP UIST CRAFTS WORKSHOP is a small workshop studio and gallery on the beautiful island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. We specialise in fused glass work, sculpture, ceramics and painting. Uist Crafts Workshop is run by artists and designers Alan and Stella Whittle, from their studio in Stoneybridge, South Uist. UIST CRAFTS WORKSHOP comprises 'Taigh an't Seamraig', 'SoLuS Studio Glass', and the 'Hebridean Felt Works'. Taigh an't Seamraig 'Taigh an't Seamraig', has for many years now, been producing a range of cast cottages and wildlife applicable to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. All models are sculpted, moulded and hand painted by in our Hebridean studio by Alan. The success of these ranges led to the design of a range of unique 'rough stone' interior-decor items, embellished with hand carved Celtic and Pictish designs. These included chess sets, clocks, bookends, candle holders, paperweights and wall plaques. Exhibiting at the major international trade fairs in Scotland and the USA, soon had these items being exported in large numbers across the Atlantic. 2005/6 saw yet further additions to the 'Taigh an't Seamraig' ranges, the studio moving into the arena of handbuilt, freeform ceramics, specialising in bowls and 'strange' idiosyncratic buildings, called 'MadHouses', as well as investigating the ancient Egyptian half glass/half ceramic craft of Faience (Egyptian Paste) - reputedly 5,500 years old!! SoLuS Studio Glass Designer glass bowls, fused and torchworked glass and silver jewellery, panels and sculptures, using all types of glass and specialising in innovative ways of re-cycling glass. Stella started working with fused glass several years ago, stumbling into her present 'love affair' with recycled glass in a desire to prove that recycled glass was beautiful as well as utilitarian. Initially, fusing, as a means of recycling, was discouraged by her mentors, despite this, a large percentage of the bottles, windows and vehicle windows of South Uist and Benbecula, now end up in a range of designer bowls and jewellery. Although 'SoLuS Studio Glass' works a great deal with coloured glass, ordinary float (window) glass holds a particular fascination, due to its varying greenish tinge, which intensifies when layered. Hebridean Felt Works The latest project of the Uist Crafts Workshop team, is a range of designer felted bags, rugs and wall hangings, using local Scottish Blackface and Cheviot fleeces. All our fleeces are from sheep raised on the Uist hills by two crofter friends. The fleece of the Scottish Blackface is extremely coarse and hard wearing, and is ideal for rugs and floor coverings. Whilst the Cheviot, although fairly hard wearing and suitable for rugs, is more suited to the felting of wall hangings and bags. DAISY Power Powered by 'Daisy', the 6Kw Proven turbine. Daisy is our 'green energy' provider to power our workshop, house and gallery, and is an integral, and totally essential, member of the 'Uist Crafts Workshop' team.