'The Iolaire 100'

On 1st January 1919, island sailors boarded His Majesty's Yacht Iolaire, desperate to return home to their eagerly waiting families after surviving the carnage of WW1.
Within sight of the harbour lights of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, the yacht struck the infamous rocks, known as the 'Beasts of Holm'. The night was stormy; most of the men could not swim and despite being only a few yards from shore 205 were lost, at least 181 of whom were islanders.
The news gradually spread through the villages; every one of them was affected.

The impact on the islands was profound. For generations afterwards, many could not even utter the name 'Iolaire'. The event was second only to the Titanic for loss of life at sea in peacetime, but is not well known outside the islands.

I am going to commemorate the forthcoming centenary of 1/1/1919 through art, aiming to paint 100 portraits of the lost sailors.

https://margaretfergusonart.com/collections/90674

Apart from materials, the main cost of the project will be framing. (Each will cost about £50.)
The paintings will be exhibited in Autumn 2018 locally, then travel elsewhere. They will then return to the island, gifted as a permanent memorial for future generations.
The names of all donors will be acknowledged in the exhibition.