Nina Tans Studio

25/05/2026

This winter The Gallery undertook a huge renovation 🖼️ The upstairs section, as well as the restaurant downstairs were updated. The floors were sanded and varnished, the stairs stripped and stained and many more upgrades that brought new life to the converted church building.

Like many of the local businesses, we spent the winter getting ready to open again for the summer season.

This is my 5th year working in the upstairs loft, and it finally feels like how I imagined it to be when I started. In the beginning, I made a promise to myself to respect the fabric of the building and to use old furniture to complement the history of the space.

Some of you have visited on many occasions and may remember the loft as just a few tables with my first watercolour paintins laid on top. I look forward to seeing you again this summer!

21/05/2026

Looking back at the past three years, I am so grateful for all the opportunities off the island 🖼️ As an artist living and working remotely, it can be a challenge to network and to be a part of the community of visual artists.

To contrast the solitude or working and living off the West Coast of Scotland, these now yearly events and trips have become the highlights to my year. To meet other artists and to feel a part of a community gives meaning to working alone.

Looking back at the past three years makes me excited about the next three 🖼️

14/05/2026

It sounds so cliche but painting really is my happy place, my comfort zone, an escape. 🎨 It’s strange to watch these videos back and to see the process take place from an outside perspective. In the moment, I relax and listen to music or a podcast, with my thoughts quietly ticking in the background.

I don’t always feel like painting - and sometimes I dread starting. There have been many times where I have been avoiding it, but have just thought “I will just set myself up, in case I feel like doing it later”. Before I know it, it’s three hours later and the blank page has turned into a start of something.

A university tutor once said that there is no point in forcing yourself to do anything creative. If you dont feel like it, just go and do something else until you do. She was so right! 🎨 🖼️

01/05/2026

There is so much that happens before the actual painting stats 🎨

1. I usually visit a beach around Mull to collect some new bits of seaweed. They first nees to be washed and cleaned from all the sand. I also lay them out to dry before bringing them into the studio.

2. I plan digital layouts of the pieces in advance. I have hundreds of ideas stored on my iPad and I go through them to find one with potential to turn to a painting.

3. Preparing my paints is also important. I create swatches of colour schemes and use them as reference.

4. Painting usually takes up majority of the time, but the prep helps with this.

5. Cutting and framing is a whole other part of the process! More about that later 🖼️

In short, prepping is crucial and that is often where the real creative development happens.

25/04/2026

The past 5 months on the Isle of Mull 🌈 🌧️ ❄️ ☀️ 🌊 ☔️ What is there not to be inspired by as an artist?

20/04/2026

What a contrast between the quiet in my home studio and the exhibitions off the island! 🏝️🏙️ I spend most of my time painting in total solitude - maybe listening to music or a podcast. I get totally lost in the painting process and my mind wanders.

It’s incredible then to see the same work, created on an island in my home, in a bustling setting with loads of people and chatter. A bit of Mull in London

13/04/2026

I have been itching to get back to painting lately! 🎨 After returning from our trip to London I have been busy setting up the gallery for the summer season and painting has been put on hold for the time being.

In the meantime, I have been scrolling through the camera roll at all the work that happened this winter whilst the gallery was closed.

Growing up in Finland, I used to dread the long cold winter months ❄️ I would spend hours in my room painting and drawing to avoid being out in the cold. I now realise how valuable that time was for learning how to be creative. Imakes me smile to think how I still spend my winters in the same way 🖼️

26/03/2026

Had a wonderful time in London at the Exhibition and taking in the city 🏙️ I lived in London for 10+ years and will always enjoy the atmosphere, people, culture and food!

Feeling energised and inspired by all the interactions at the exhibition - ready to return to Mull and to kick off the summer season in the gallery! Thank you all for the support and encouragement 🫶

25/02/2026

Have you ever visited Scotland in late summer? This is when the hills are covered in Heather, one of the most beautiful and iconic wildflowers of the region. It gives the landscape a purple hue, letting us know that winter is on its way.

It is also a very common flower in my home country Finland - and it makes me feel nostalgic (homesick) everytime it starts flowering here on the Isle of Mull.

I painted this last year after years of procrastination. I wanted to capture how the individual strands of heather curl and flow together.

25/01/2026

The Gallery Restaurant is under renovation and opening again for Easter 2026! 🍕🥗🥂🍺 I will continue my exhibition in the loft above the main floor and am looking forward to seeing you all this summer! ❤️

Follow The Gallery Bar and Restaurant for more updates!

Exciting times ahead, follow for more updates!