Artist Ellis O’Connor on painting the Sound of Sleat
Each release in our Legacy Series begins with a sense of place - from the Allts that bring fresh water to the distillery, to the Cnoc of peat that sits on our horizon.
But for this chapter, we took that connection one step further. We invited local artist Ellis O’Connor to capture the rugged coastline just beyond our distillery on the Sleat Peninsula - a home we’re proud to share with Ellis. The result is the artwork you’ll see featured on our next Legacy Series release: a visual expression of the Sound of Sleat, created before a single drop of whisky was even bottled.
We caught up with Ellis to hear more about her creative process, her relationship with Skye, and the wild beauty of the Sound of Sleat.
What does the Sound of Sleat mean to you - emotionally or creatively?
“It means expansiveness, openness, a sense of rich history, and a calm, soothing atmosphere. It provides me with so much inspiration because of the ever-changing elements, the constantly shifting dramatic skies, and the feeling of being immersed in so much colour, light, and incredible energy. It inspires me endlessly.”
What role does the weather play in your process?
“The weather is an important factor in my work, especially when I’m working outside. If I’m using water-based paints outdoors and it starts to rain or there’s moisture in the air, it merges with the paint and creates its own patterns on the painting.
“However, if it becomes too heavy, the work can be washed away - so it’s definitely a challenge!
“Overall, I do love creating my water-based works outdoors, because I find myself being a lot less precious about what I put down on the paper. The weather is constantly shifting, so I have to be quick, gestural, and expressive. It gets me into a lovely flow state very quickly, where I can enjoy the act of making without thinking too much about it.”
How do you know when a piece is finished - is it instinctual?
“Yes, most of the time I just know and it is instinctual. However, sometimes I can overwork a painting - and that’s frustrating, as it’s harder to pull it back.”
What was it like creating work so closely tied to a place and culture?
“It was a beautiful experience - being able to create a work from a place so deeply rooted in history and a very important, rich culture. I think initially I found it difficult to know what I wanted the painting to be like, but I just surrendered to the knowing and created from a place of being inspired by what was around me.”
Where do you go on the island when you need a bit of headspace?
“I tend to go to a little white-sand beach at the Point of Sleat, where I absolutely love to walk, swim, sketch - or just sit and watch the colours of the landscape and sea around me change. It’s such a beautiful place and always makes me feel so calm and grounded.”
Do you listen to anything while you paint - or is it just the elements?
“If I’m working outdoors, I tend to only listen to the elements, as I find other noise distracting. If I’m working indoors, I’ll listen to ambient music without lyrics, as I find it really grounding.”
What drew you to the colour palette you used to capture the Sound of Sleat?
“Skye is full of many shades of green - everywhere you look, especially in the summer months when I created the piece - so those colours felt very alive for me at the time. That’s why I chose to focus on this palette. I also wanted to capture the energy and freshness of the area and bring that into the work as well.”
Any thoughts on the parallels between art and whisky?
“Hmm, I suppose they both take time, patience, and a willingness to carve out something that’s important - and they're both very much a necessity in this world, haha!”
Watch and listen to Ellis at work in the lovely ASMR film below and follow her on Instagram for more of her art @ellisoconnor
