Iona is a rising star of a designer, working across architecture, interiors, sculptural ceramics and illustration. She grew-up between Moray and the Isle of Lewis, and cites the Western Isles as being of foundational influence to her creative practice. A recent graduate of the Bartlett School of Architecture in London, Iona has developed a multidisciplinary approach to materiality inspired by place. “My approach is shaped by time spent hiking and camping along the remote, Atlantic-facing beaches of the Outer Hebrides,” Iona says. “My father and his passion for beachcombing have trained my eye in the art of observing and seeing beauty and potential of what has washed ashore.”
‘The stony beaches of Loch Tamnabaigh on the west coast of Lewis are covered in plastic,’ Iona says. ‘You find splintering plastic pieces no larger than a grain of sand and some that are large enough to climb inside, all from the multicoloured fishing industry and the remnants of human consumption. I see the beauty in these colours, as controversial as this may seem. The way these forever plastics have been shaped from decades at sea catch my attention and, to be honest, I have never seen these beaches any other way. Habitats form on the debris, goose barnacles carve into polystyrene and seaweed strings across acrylic buoys. My neighbour once retrieved a bright red kayak in the surf of a storm that had come straight across the pond from Maine, with the price tags still attached. Ten years ago I found a perfect multifaceted hose head that we still use. We’ve turned trash into treasure many times by giving meaning to once discarded objects. But, as we all know, the negatives far outweigh any positives when it comes to ocean plastic, and I will never see these beaches as my ancestors used to see them.
What does Scottishness mean to you?
My version of Scotland and sense of home is dictated by colour. Colours dictated by seasons, and frequent changes in weather. The shores are ever changing, however the distinct colour palette of the Outer Hebrides is what I miss so much when I have been away for too long.
What value does craft have in daily life?
I see craft as a centre point of community—where knowledge, and skills are shared. Connecting with makers around me inspires growth and exploration across disciplines. For me, craft is not only about making, but about learning together, sustaining traditions, and shaping more meaningful ways of living. We should all live with craft in some form or another. I draw almost everyday too, and to me this is a very important form of craft.
