7 Gates Wick

This community public art project involved over 160 pupils from all Wick primary and secondary Schools. They were inspired by stories of local harbour history and fishing folklore as retold by six members of The Wick Society. Caithness artist Liz O’Donnell and I collaborated with these schools on imagery relating to these stories. Ian Sinclair, local master craftsman, used his skills to incorporate these images into the final designs using sheet metal techniques. This is now a significant landmark in Wick.

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

‘i’ (Meditation on Iona) James MacMillan

Glasgow city council commissions: Funded by Strathclyde Region and Scottish Arts Council Premiered at Glasgow City Halls.
National tour including venues, Edinburgh Queens Hall and London South Bank, Queen Elizabeth Hall.
This glass installation is now permanently housed in the Glasgow City Concert Halls

I created a series of pencil studies of the island seen from Fionnphort on Mull. These studies were enlarged and traced onto glass using water-based masking techniques for sand blasting. I built up layers of drawing marks and textures onto the surface of the glass. The glass kelp panel was positioned behind the conductor. The five glass panels -‘the island of Iona’- stood behind and above the orchestra enveloping the whole stage creating an evocative atmosphere.

Glencalvie, Reconciliation – Prayer/ blessing Croik

My three glass panel installation formed the backdrop for a contemporary Gaelic lament. The lament, for singer and string ensemble. This piece was composed by Dee Issacs with lyrics written by poet Aonghas MacNeacail and it was a Scottish Chamber Orchestra commission. This work was originally performed by members of the SCO and Gaelic singer Mairi MacInnes at An Tuireann on the Isle of Skye in 1999 and subsequently at the art.tm gallery in Inverness as part of the Highland Festival 2000. It was part of my touring exhibition, From Highland Drove to the Australian Outback.

From Highland Drove to the Australian Outback

Bho Dhrobhadh Gaidhealach gu Fasaichean Astrailia

New England Museum and Gallery, Armidale NSW, Australia.

Exhibition toured state galleries in NSW and Victoria. Assisted funding by British Council

I accompanied drovers across drought-stricken plains and was helped through their eyes to experience this alien, dusty, dry unyielding landscape: a people who have lived and worked all their lives in this semi-nomadic existence.

Diary extract: From Highland Drove to the Australian Outback publication

Kromer Hat (Clydebank, Scotland)

My studio for this seven week residency was a portakabin in MB5 fabrication shop at U.I.E. (formally John Brown’s shipyard). The all-male workforce added to the challenge; one worker Roy Callaghan was selected to sit as a model for the sculpture. Kromer hat, a protective cloth cap for welders, is the modern day version of the worker’s cloth cap. The bronze sculpture is sited opposite the former yard’s main entrance gate.

National Maritime Museum Greenwich

In 1997 I was artist in residence at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich during which my work was drawn towards The Old Royal Observatory. I spent many hours in its private library looking through its collection of old and contemporary books, artefacts and maps on astronomy.
I created a sculpture, “Celestial: Mapping of the Northern Skies”; a figure torso holding up a globe. I also conducted an extensive educational programme.

A’Chraobh: the tree

Spiral Woodland Walk, Borgie Forest, N W Sutherland, Scotland. Creation of community woodland walk based on the Gaelic Ogam Tree Alphabet in 2000. 20th anniversary celebration in 2020.
Supported by Comunnn na Gaidhlig, Forestry Commission and Millennium Forest for Scotland Trust.

Crimond Parish Church

Crimond Parish Church committee commission: Four sandblasted interior glass panels illustrating Crimond tune
Jessie Seymour’s Psalm 23 tune set to Crimond.
I was commissioned by Crimond Parish Church committee to create four new interior glass panels set into its interior vestry church wall. Imagery on glass was based on the Crimond tune and in memory of Jessie Seymour Irvine.