THE GLASS artist Alec Galloway is starting a series of artworks commemorating one of the worst naval disasters of the 20th century.

The Ioloaire sank in the early hours of January 1 in 1919 off Stornoway.

It was carrying sailors returning home from the First World War when it sank in sight of the harbour, killing more than 200 men, the vast majority of whom were islanders.

Dozens of lives were also saved, around 80 in total.

Mr Galloway has begun work in his Greenock studio on of a series of glass pieces relating to the disaster, which will be shown in Stornoway in November.

However, in this picture, Galloway is pictured in a field near his studio with a new work titled Byrd Totem.

The work has been especially created for a forthcoming solo exhibition in London at the end of March.

The piece includes drawings he made of wild birds that often visit his garden at home in Inverclyde.

It also includes images of the 1960s band The Byrds, famous for their songs Eight Miles High and Mr Tambourine Man.

Galloway, under the name of Crow Cottage Arts, produces glass work and painting.

Projects he has created have included Absent Voices, which focussed on the history of Inverclyde’s sugar industry, and in particular Greenock’s sugar shed building which is situated in the James Watt Dock.

Another reflects his love of music: Axis is an ongoing project dedicated to the iconic individual guitars as played by artists such as late Irish blues legend Rory Gallagher, Dr Feelgood’s Wilko Johnson, the ex-Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman and early Beatles bass guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe, who died tragically young.