Shona is a Glasgow-based photographic artist, originally from the highlands. Inspired by folklore and relics of the past, her work aims to create a sense of myth, magic and an air of the divine. Often using photography as a narrative tool and experimenting with ways to present it beyond the usual expectation of what a photographic work can be. Having focused particularly on water-based myths within Scottish or Celtic narrative folklore, she has realised iterations of this theme in many different mediums: digital photography, illustration, book-making, moving image. More recently branching out to Scottish landscapes and looking more closely at the natural elements that most likely inspired these tales.

See Shona’s work as part of our annual autumn open call, We Fear Nae Evil. featuring thirty three artists exploring the strange and magical stories of Scottish Folklore, plus our Sextet listening station is back with twenty-four new pieces for you to spend some quality time with.

Hi Shona! How did your artistic journey start?
Though art is something I was passionate about from a very young age, like many people my path sort of strayed away into the ‘world of work’ during my young adolescence. It was only during lockdown, when I had much time to reflect, that I realised I wasn’t happy; that time is precious and I should stop waiting for something to happen, and instead actively pursue something that truly made me happy. So I decided to leave my job in Business Innovation and return to college to study contemporary art. I had no real plan in place but I just enjoyed my time there and let it guide me to where I am now – entering my 4th and final year in Fine Art Photography at GSA!

How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
Growing up in the Highlands, I was surrounded by bodies of water and dramatic landscapes. My parents, coming from both Irish and Swedish backgrounds, introduced me to a lot of Celtic and Nordic influences, and my Stepfather was a brilliant storyteller. He would tell us tales of Kelpies and Faeries. A lot of which, I feel, are inspired by these landscapes and engrained in the culture of the Highlands and Islands. This has definitely influenced my practice, which is predominantly focused around water-based Scottish folklore. 

What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
I think honestly just trust the process. When I first started in Art School, the voices in my head were telling me that I wasn’t good enough, or that as a mature student at 32, that I wasn’t going to be as good as everyone younger than me. Or simply that I was going to be completely devoid of any ideas or skills. And none of this could have been further from the truth. Everyone’s practice is so unique, so there should be no comparison. And if you just start with the things you’re interested in or passionate about: do some research; seek out events and books and artworks that you love; you’ll soon ignite that spark within yourself and be surprised at what you can achieve and the depths and interconnectedness that your work will reach.

Are there specific advantages or challenges associated with working in your chosen mediums? Have you experimented with other mediums or techniques?
I think the beauty of photography is that it can be realised in so many iterations beyond the standard definition of what a photograph is. I have worked with layering photography and illustration, cinematography and moving image, film photography,; creating abstract art with digital photography, collage, half tone screen-printing, and sculpture – extracting shapes from photographs to create 3D objects. I remember telling someone that I was going to study fine art photography and their response was that the camera does all the work for you, which I categorically disagree with. I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t tried photography yet or who thinks of it very one dimensionally, to experiment and really push the boundaries of what photography can be. It’s a lot of fun! And has really stimulated my mind creatively.

Will your next project be a continuation of your current style or are you experimenting with something different? Can you share a glimpse of your next project?
I’m always looking to try something new that I haven’t before. In terms of theme, I will continue to grow my portfolio of Scottish Folklore and water-related works but I am definitely keen to always be expanding my methods and research. I would love to try printing on fabrics. And also experiment with plant developers – collecting seaweed and plants from the landscapes that have inspired my work and using them to create solutions that enable the development of photographs organically.

Are there any upcoming events or additional information you would like the audience to know? 
My Year 4 Fine Art Photography class will have an exhibition at Govan Project Space from the 25th – 27th November. And of course our degree show in May of next year. I also intend to curate my own group show between now and then on themes of water and/or water-based Scottish Folklore. Information on all of the above will be available on my Instagram page in due course. So watch this space!

Find out more about Shona’s work on Instagram. We Fear Nae Evil runs at Six Foot Gallery until Friday 16th October.