The Galerie

The Galerie – the story

I first came to Harris in 2009 to photograph a wedding, and from then on I travelled back and forth for years, photographing weddings, sometimes up to 20 times a year. My children were young and had already experienced an unsettled life, so I wanted to keep them in school in Drumnadrochit and so I waited until they left for university before making the move.

I had always dreamed of having my own gallery space, so I began planning straight away.

The build fought against me, costs mounted, and everything stalled in mid-2023.

My mum was my biggest supporter of my creativity. I spent my childhood making, creating, and painting, and went on to study Art at Manchester and Photography in the Arts in Swansea. I started my own business when my youngest son was born in 2004. I attribute my dedication to living a creative life to my mum and her encouragement, and I believe strongly that we should all feel supported in being creative at whatever level. Creativity is one of the highest forms of well-being and self-care, and is incredibly important for all of us.

I am half Dutch and spent many months in Holland as a child, and somewhere along the way there must have been a gentle seeping into my mind of my Oma’s love for the Outer Hebrides. I was given an album a few years ago that she made on a solo road trip in 1980 through the Highlands and Hebrides. She wrote in-depth descriptions alongside images and maps; some of her words now appear on The Galerie walls.

I still photograph weddings on the Outer Hebrides and throughout the Highlands and am also training to be a wedding celebrant for 2026. My hope is that the gallery will be available for those weddings where the rain makes an outdoor location not to ideal!

The pool at Una St Ives in Cornwall - part of the facilities for our creative retreat.

St Ives creative retreat accommodation - Creative Landscapes.

I spent many holidays on the islands with my boys and my mum over the years — a place she found soothing and beautiful. She passed away suddenly in 2023, and life changed in an instant, leaving me questioning everything. This beautiful and peaceful corner of Geocrab has been a refuge and an inspiration to me. She left me just enough inheritance to see the build completed – with the patience and dedication of my partner Rob and the never-ending support of Margot Kitchen.

The Galerie is the Dutch spelling for gallery with a nod to French heritage.

“Space is the breath of art.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

Workshops:

In October 2025, I opened to welcome the Creative Light Festival attendees in for a private workshop. It was lovely to see this little gallery on a remote corner of the Outer Hebrides filled with joy and creativity. I ran an art journalling workshop with Carien Borst, and it was a beautiful two hours. It has led me to consider the future of running more creative workshops and events in the future. Stay tuned for more information. Please do sign up for my newsletter via Substack if you would like to be kept informed of any new events first.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton

What is in the galerie

In my gallery, you will find photography inspired by the Hebridean sea, Ink and acrylic paintings, and smaller gifts such as creative gift boxes, bookmarks and cards. I will also be developing a tiny independent bookshop within the gallery in 2026. The space was designed to be a calming, welcoming place to stop a while and be surrounded by art inspired by the Hebrides.

Where to find The Galerie

The Galerie is outside my house in Geocrab in the car park. The postcode is HS3 3HB, and you will find me just on the turning towards the lovely Skoon Gallery – a fab place to head for a coffee and cake! I am about 20 minutes from Tarbert on the Isle of Harris.

I will be open from spring 2026 onwards but you can always message me as well and if I am around I am happy to open up.