To celebrate their 7th birthday this month, the Western Isles Lottery Team are announcing their latest, and their most ambitious, project to date which they say they are confident will make a big impact on Stornoway Town and its tourism.
Hundreds of projects of all sizes have been funded and completed with the proceeds from supporters’ ticket purchases over the last seven years and there seems to be no slowing down in the level of support.

Janet Paterson, Founder of the Lottery, said: “It’s hard to believe the Lottery has been so successful and achieved so much over seven years.

"The Team are now embarking on a Heritage Mural Trail throughout Stornoway and have commissioned one of the UK’s top mural artists, Chris Rutterford who will involve local artists and school pupils with his creations – subject to funding and planning permissions. Details of workshops and involvement will be released in the near future."

Chris explains: “It is an honour and a privilege to be asked to work alongside Western Isles Lottery in Stornoway. Not one I’d take lightly.

"When I first came to the island, I was really blown away by the beauty and history of the island and could see echoes of that heritage throughout the town.

"I loved the public art that was already on show, especially the fibreglass sculptures that were beautifully built and executed by the original artists in the 80/90s, it felt to me like they tell Lewis stories in an incredibly charming and succinct way.

"My first task alongside my wife and creative partner Lubi Lykan, will be to sensitively renovate these, and to bring them back to their former glory, as the weather is gradually wearing them down.

"After that, we would like to work on creating threshold murals for the town, celebrate both Stornoway and Lewis History and characters, past and present. We are hoping to assemble a team of local artists to work alongside us, and build and add something really special for the islands. Can’t wait to get started”.

Janet explains, “The Lottery Team first met Lubi Lykan in November 2023 when she created the spectacular sleigh for the Western Isles Lottery’s Christmas Switch-On Parade.

"Discussions for the Mural Trail began in January and the plan is for both current fibreglass sculptures to be restored around March 2025 with four large scale murals being planned on Shell Street and James Street by the end of 2025. A possible further eight murals will be planned for 2026 to grow the momentum.

Chris Rutterford was born in 1973 and brought up in Edinburgh.  He has a BA Hons in illustration from Leeds Metropolitan University and had a successful career in editorial illustration working for over 40 different magazines before specialising in mural art over a decade ago.

Originally Chris started with historical murals and artwork made for pubs and restaurants. He became well known for painting massive and elaborate crowd murals. His work is very Scottish; his initial forays into muralism included a spectacular 20 m long mural of Tam-o’-shanter, and a jaw dropping depiction of the classic Edinburgh Hogmanay, complete with portraits of thousands of real people partying in the mix. Next he painted The Battle of Bannockburn that featured in the Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre; it depicted hundreds of combatants from right in the heart of the schiltron for the 700th anniversary.

It is in the last few years, however, that his work has really taken off. Working in collaboration with his wife, creative partner and soul mate Lubi Lykan has truly transformed and elevated his work to a whole new level.

His most ambitious and famous project was building a mural in the Colinton Tunnel in Edinburgh. Over the course of three years and spanning the 2020 lockdown period he led a team that turned a grim, dirty and dilapidated train tunnel into a true feast for the eyes. The mural features an alloy of immaculate heritage painting alongside whimsy and fun, plus 700 local artists and schoolchildren took part in hands on painting in the project.

His versatility and prolific output are truly amazing. Over the last few years he has built murals on all points of the UK compass , from heritage murals on Papa Westray in the North of Orkney to natural history murals for RSPB Loch Leven in the east of Fife and a huge crowd mural for Reading Football stadium in the south of England.

He recently moved his main studio base to rural Strathyre/Balquihidder in The Trossachs & Loch Lomond National Park. He now spends a lot of time on the islands though, spending a large chunk of his year in Callanish, on the Isle of Lewis, at his wife Lubi’s home studio.

Chris’s current project is building another train tunnel mural, this time on the west coast in Alloway, very close to The Robert Burns birthplace museum. The new mural has a firm focus on history and heritage, but also a community aspect; he has already involved around 1500 members of the community in hands on painting. The plan is to complete the mural in early summer 2025.

Chris has a proven track record of building spectacular murals, and a firm belief murals should tell the right stories in the right places. He also has a creeping feeling that towns often don’t celebrate their own stories stridently enough. Celebrating town’s stories and celebrating their individuality is very much where he’d like to take his work in the future.

Work is scheduled to begin in March 2025 in Stornoway.

Buildings have been identified and owners have been approached.

Chris is continuing to work closely with the Western Isles Lottery team to clarify content and identify further key locations in Stornoway for mural interventions.

The plan is to assemble a team of local artists to assist in the conception and building of the murals with the first key area being Shell Street near the ferry terminal.

To join the Lottery for just £1 per week, log onto www.westernisleslottery.co.uk or call the Support Line on 0300 30 20 444 (local rate applies). Supporting your local community and winning cash prizes – what’s not to like?

You can follow Chris’s current work on the following facebook pages:

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisRutterfordArtist

https://www.facebook.com/AllowayTunnelProject

https://www.facebook.com/westernisleslottery