Watch Gaelic Coimhead Gàidhlig

[Dòmhnall] Nise, a thaobh ur n-èirigh suas agus mar a thàinig an neach-ealain a bha seo gu bith, an robh ùidh agaibh ann an aodach nur n-èirigh suas?

[Sandra] Uill ’s iongantach mur an robh. Tha mi air coimhead, cha chreid mi, air a h-uile dealbh a th’ againne, uill dhìomhsa nuair a bha mi òg, tha, cha chreid mi, kilt orm anns a h-uile h-aon agus grìogagan agus Fair Isle twin sets ’s rudan den t-seòrsa sin. Ach nuair a bha mi gu math òg, ’s dòcha timcheall air ceithir, chaidh sinn a dh’fhuireach gun a’ Bhac agus tha, bhithinn, tha e coltach tè, bha tè Mary John aig an robh a’ phost oifis air a’ Bhac, bha i gu math stylish ’s bha rudan annasach aice agus bhithinn a’ dol a-steach sa rùm agus a’ dol am measg na bh’ aice ’s bha umbrella ’s handbags ’s brògan àrda ’s adan agus tha e coltach bhithinn-sa, nuair a thigeadh am bus à Steòrnabhagh tha e a’ stad aig a’ phost oifis agus a’ cur cearcall mun a’ Bhac agus a’ stad air ais aig a’ phost oifis. ’S bhithinn-sa le aodach Mary John – umbrella ’s an handbag – a’ dol air a’ bhus agus còmhla ri fear à Col, bodach le còta fada dubh, agus bha mi ag ràdh rium fhìn bho chionn greis uill chan e a h-uile màthair a leigeadh an leanabh aice, nighean ceithir bliadhna, còmhla ri bodach le còta fada dubh air bus.

[Dòmhnall] ’S tu a’ dol cuairt air a’ Bhac?

[Sandra] A’ dol cuairt. Bha sinn a’ dol cuairt air a’ bhus agus an uair sin leigeadh Left, sin an dràibhear a bh’ air a’ bhus, leigeadh e às sinn aig a’ phost oifis agus dheighinn-sa dhachaigh.

[Dòmhnall] Feumaidh gun robh sibh a’ faireachdainn car spaideil.

[Sandra] Ò bha mise a’ faireachdainn spaideil. ’S iongantach mur an robh.

[Dòmhnall] Uill tha sin an dearbh rud a bha mi ag ràdh.

[Sandra] Uill tha mi a’ smaoineachadh bha dìreach mar gum biodh seed bheag air choreigin am bateigin.

[Dòmhnall] Ach bha ur màthair ri obair aodaich.

[Sandra] Bha, bha ise a’ dèanamh, knitting machine aice ’s bhiodh i a’ reic gheansaidhean bobain agus bhiodh ise a’ dèanamh tele-marketing mus robh e fasanta, a’ fònaigeadh gu daoine air feadh an t-saoghail.

[Dòmhnall] Seadh gu dearbh.

Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2011.

[Donald] Now, with regards to your upbringing and how this artist came to be, were you interested in clothes when growing up?

[Sandra] Well it is a wonder if I was not. I have looked, I think, at every photo that we have, well of me when I was young, I think, I have a kilt on in every one and beads and Fair Isle twin sets and things like that. But when I was very young, perhaps about four, we went to live in Back and I would, apparently, there was a lady, Mary John, that had the post office in Back, she was very stylish and she had unusual things and I would go in to the room and there was an umbrella and handbags and high heels and hats and apparently I would, when the bus comes from Stornoway it stops at the post office and circles at Back and stops back at the post office. And I would have Mary John’s clothes – an umbrella and the handbag – and go on the bus with a man from Coll, an old man with a long black coat, and I was saying to myself a while ago well it is not every mother that would let her child, a four year old girl, go on a bus with an old man with a long black coat.

[Donald] And you went on a trip around Back?

[Sandra] Went on a trip. We went on a trip on the bus and then Left, that was the bus driver, would let us off at the post office and I would go home.

[Donald] You must have felt quite smart.

[Sandra] Oh I did feel smart. It is a wonder if I did not.

[Donald] Well that was what I was sayong.

[Sandra] Well I think there was just a little seed or something somewhere, as it were.

[Donald] But your mother made clothes.

[Sandra] Yes, she did, she had a knitting machine and she would sell jumpers made from Harris Tweed bobbin leftovers and she did tele-marketing before it was fashionable, phoning people across the world.

[Donald] Is that right.

This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2011.