UHI Creative Industries students inspired by Shetland

Each year, a new end-of-year exhibition hosted by UHI Shetland showcases the talent of the incredible art students studying in Shetland. Many of the art pieces were inspired by life in Shetland and students' memories of growing up in the isles. This blog post explores what studying art in Shetland means to the students and why a sense of place is important in their work.

Inspired by winter waves

Susan Linklater is a graduating Fine Art student who was inspired by the works of J. M. W. Turner. Her stunning paintings are a depiction of the thoughts and feelings she has when watching the choppy winter waves from her home in Levenwick.

Susan said that when she would go down to the coast in the winter months, it was much too windy to take a photo of the sea, let alone sketch! So she would take a note of the words that came to mind when looking at the storm. When she would arrive home, she would paint the sea based on those feelings.

When visiting the exhibition, you'll be able to see the words which inspire the painting below them.

Inspired by family stories

Estella Smith's works of art are inspired by her memories of her mother and granny knitting and sewing when she was growing up.

The title of Estella's showcase is "working hands", which is dedicated to the work ethic her mother and granny passed down to her through knitting and sewing.

Knitting and sewing have been a huge part of Estella's childhood, and her Mam runs a business, C&C Suits, in Lerwick's Toll Clock shopping centre. Her granny is also a passionate knitter. Although Estella didn't knit much herself until she enrolled in the Fine Arts course, this family connection inspired her work.

During her course, Estella asked her granny to teach her how to knit open lace. This lacework is incorporated in her oil paintings, creating a reminiscent mixed-media painting.

Estella says she has always been a "homebird", so studying art while remaining in Shetland has been ideal. She appreciates the opportunity to remain in Shetland while progressing her education.

Inspired by exploring identity

Tayla Hanks' emotional pieces tell a story of how childhood experiences and relationships subconsiously impact our identities.

Her paintings share a glimpse into Tayla's memories, with her father being a strong presence. Tayla sadly lost her father a few years ago. This art project has allowed her to look back on her childhood and reflect on how his creativity has impacted her own artistic journey.

Tayla created an interactive exhibition. Viewers are invited to look into the mirror and reflect on what makes them the person they become. Visitors are inspired to reflect on their own identity and how that was shaped.

Tayla hopes to capture her creativity and become a tattoo artist. She is currently working on art projects for the Shetland-based mental health charity, Link Up. She really enjoys working with them and would like to continue in the future.

Inspired by everyday objects

Emma Eunson takes tangible objects which were important in her grandparents' home and incorporates them into her art. The teacups found in her grandparents home are of particular importance to her, which is why she created her own teacups using moulds from the very cups that belonged to her grandparents. Her work explores the immortalisation of fading memories in different art forms, such as resin and dye. Through this she reflects on the significance of everyday objects and the reflection on fond memories from the past.

Many Shetlanders can relate to the fondness which flows through this exhibition. Lots of us have special memories of being in our grandparents' homes, with stories and tales keeping the memory alive.

Emma does an excellent job of creating a vision of revisiting memories.

The NC Art and Design students have also been busy this year. This class allows students to learn about a vast range of art forms and experiment with different mediums. Progressing from this course, students can move up to the Fine Arts course.

Susan Linklater followed that route and said that doing the NC Art and Design course gave her the foundations and confidence to progress further with her degree. She is now graduating from the BA (Hons) Fine Art course.

The NC Art and Design students are all at different stages of their course. Some are part-time, some are full-time. All are given equal chances to progress with their art.

Shetland's living heritage

The woven textiles classes are teaching people in Shetland to create their own designs and is keeping the art of textiles alive, which is a huge part of Shetland's heritage.

If you're lucky enough to visit the exhibition, keep an eye out for Lorna Johnson's hangings. These were inspired by Bedouin weavers and the way they tell their tribe's history by weaving imagery into the central panels.

Inspired by this, Lorna has incorporated her own story into her hangings. The left panel tells the story of her move to Shetland and the right hanging depicts her life in Northumberland.

Part of the exhibition includes work from the students at the Eric Gray Centre. They have worked together and individually to create interesting art pieces about ancient civilizations, which they have been learning about. The class learned about the Roman Empire, and created their own helments and swords named the gladius, which was the principle weapon used by the Roman Army.

You can see more of their work inspired by other ancient civilizations at the exhibition. These include ancient Egypt and the British Empire.

We've seen the work of students in their final year of the BA (Hons) Fine Art course, but what about those partway through their studies?

Student Millie Wishart is studying Fine Arts as an elective with plastic as the focus of her art. She combines plastic and the natural environment in her art, especially in her woven textile pieces.

The inspiration for her pieces comes from the natural landscape of Shetland and the nature found just minutes from her doorstep.

There is so much more artwork to see at the UHI Gremista Campus at the exhibition. Check out the poster below for more details, including entry times and free entry. And if you're in Shetland in June 2026, head along and see the work for yourself. Perhaps you'll be inspired to think about studying art yourself.