NATIONAL PARK ART EXHIBITION OPENS AT CAIRNGORM
Earlier this year, the Society of Badenoch and Strathspey Artists (SBSA), with financial support from the Cairngorms National Park Authority, launched a major arts project to celebrate the opening of the National Park by organising two art competitions: one for schoolchildren and the other for adult artists. From today (19th), starting at The CairnGorm Mountain Gallery, members of the public will be able to see these art works in a series of exhibitions being held until next Easter at eight different venues around the National Park area.
Entitled “Living in the Park”, the competition invited everyone currently living or working within the National Park to create a painting or make a model reflecting what made the Park special to them and, from the volume and quality of entries received, The Cairngorms National Park is clearly somewhere very special to those who live within it. For the SBSA received a staggering 450 entries with artistic interpretations depicting the National Park’s landscape, wildlife, heritage, culture, architecture and recreational opportunities being produced by individual artists and schoolchildren from local communities as diverse as Strathdon, Crathie, Newtonmore and Grantown.
Said Bob Kinnaird, President of SBSA: “The diversity and quality of the entries, as well as the volume, has been not only encouraging but also demonstrates clearly that living in the National Park is inspirational. Judging of the schoolchildren’s section was particularly difficult but was also very enjoyable because of the different styles, media involved and the sheer imagination of these young people of different ages and from schools of different sizes. One of the primary school prizewinners – Lily Hall of Newtonwmore Primary – is only 4 years of age while Strathdon Primary, which produced two winners, has a roll of 40 pupils.”
“The overall standard was so high that, in addition to the main prize-winners, we also gave special commendations to 40 other works from within this category and these will also form part of the main exhibition.”
In the schools’ section, the principal prize-winners, each of whom receives a gift token for £40 (courtesy of CPNA), are:
Primary Schools
Up to 6 years age group: Sean Taylor, Strathdon Primary School
7-9 years: Eleanor Dobson, Strathdon Primary School
10-12 years: Gavin McKinnon, Grantown Primary School
3–D model: Lily Hall, Newtonmore Primary School
Secondary Schools!
S1: Leon Miller, Grantown Grammar School
S2: Jasmine McInnes, Grantown Grammar School
S6: Lyssa Catherine Sutherland, Grantown Grammar School
Andrew Thin, CNPA’s Convener, judged the adult entries, which included six 3-D entries, and over 50 paintings in watercolours, acrylics, oils and mixed media. Afterwards, Andrew Thin commented:
“We are delighted to have been able to support this project through the small grants scheme. The competition has involved people of all ages and has generated a great response. All the contributors have thought carefully about what it means to live in the National Park, and I am sure the results will provoke those who see them to do the same."
Winners in the adult section were:
1. Liz Hall with “Wild”
– who wins an overnight stay for two at the Morton Hotel, Dornoch (courtesy of the hotel)
2. Sheena Wilson with “Fiacaill Coire an t’Sneachda”
- who wins a pack of Winsor and Newton artists materials (sponsored by Winsor and Newton)
3. Derek Young for “Wild Country (Loch Avon)
- who wins a voucher for artists materials to spend at Art Media (sponsored by SBSA/CNPA)
The travelling exhibition opened initially at the Cairngorm Mountain Gallery (where it will be on view until Thursday 4th November) before embarking on a tour that will include Ballater and Braemar, Strathdon and Tomintoul, Grantown, Kingussie and Laggan.
Ends
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Andrew Thin, Convener of The Cairngorms National Park Authority, and Jane Hope, the CNPA’s Chief Executive, will open the Living in The Park exhibition at The CairnGorm Mountain Gallery on Tuesday, 19th October at 11.30 hrs and will present some of the school awards to those recipients able to attend.
Further information from:
Bill Nolan
Tel: 07885 071804
Or
Val Emmett
Tel: 01540 661962
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