In 2024 David Hutchison was commissioned to create a mural for the Lochinver Book Shop. David was brought up in Lochinver and much of his work is inspired by local legends and myths so he imagined the local “monsters” getting on, hence the Black Dog giving the paw to Ma Kelpie. He then added some more Assynt characters. See the "Making of the Assynt Legends Mural" video.

1. The Canisp Kelpies

There is a legend of a kelpie living in Loch Canisp. David created a kelpie family for Bluey & The Kelpies (Seordag Stories book 13) where Seordag takes her chicks to climb Suilven, and afterwards they help free Baby Kelpie from fishing tackle, and in turn the kelpies help Seordag and family when their lilypad raft starts sinking.

2. Flossie the Flying Sheep

Flossie began as a mural in the Culag in the early 90s. She has featured in an interactive exhibition on cloning at Inverness Museum & Gallery. In 2020 she starred in the Seordag Stories book Broken Bow and has appeared in further stories. She is the logo for Flying Sheep Publishing.

She's not quite sure what she'll be transporting yet but you are welcome to download an A4 or A3 or A2 outline sheet, print it off and draw that in yourself, or you might have a wee helper that might want to colour it in.

3. Stag with Rowan Tree Growing from Its Head

On the opposite bank of the Inver river used to be a wee white shed where old Murdo Aird created fishing tackle. He told fantastic stories, and one was when he ran out of shot when hunting deer, so he filled his gun with rowan berries and shot a stag, but it ran off. A year later he saw a rowan tree moving over a hill and when he got closer he saw a stag with a rowan tree growing from its head!

In 1995 David was inspired by another of Murdo's stories to create the animation Bloody Butcher, Poacher, Zulu.

4. Seordag the TV Hen

Inspired by David’s Great Aunt Seordag Murray who taught Gaelic (and worked in technology during WW2). The cyborg hen was created as a stop-frame animation and starred in the STV commissioned story Cearc Agus Ubh where Lena (David's Great Aunt Helena Sutherland) finds a gold egg in her henhouse. Seordag later became a short play performed at Ullapool High School in 2007. She appears in all 16 Seordag Stories . Gaelic version at Stòiridhean Seòrdag .

David’s mother Joan composed a selection of tunes for the Seordag Stories series which you can explore in the Golden Grain.

5. The Black Dog

On the way to Stoer there is a legend of a huge ghostly black dog with peat fires for eyes, living in Loch An Ordain.

To see more art inspired by Assynt visit the Assynt Gallery.

Inverbank, Lochinver, Sutherland, IV27 4JY