"Clach"International Stone Sculpture Symposium, Scotland

Ann Shaw web movie based on the "Clach" Stone Sculpture Symposium



Laurent Guyolot "Clarsach"



Carving in stone may be deeply unfashionable in some artistic circles- after all its no longer taught at art colleges- but there is no doubting the ability of stone to resonate with the human spirit throughout the ages- from the cave paintings in Spain to its popularity with the public today.


Tom Allan "Janus Heads - You'n' Me Babe"

Witness the hugely successful first ever Stone Sculpture Symposium in Scotland held this month ( Sept. 2006) in the grounds of a castle near Stirling.



Hugh Collins ""Torso"


A dozen sculptors from as far afield as Canada, Germany, France, Norway as well as Ireland, England and of course Scotland had been invited to make work in the grounds of the castle for a week .


Marina Weir "Water-horse"
They were:
Tom Allan ( Glasgow), Hugh Collins (Scotland) Marina Weir ( Ayrshire),Brunton Hunter (Borders), Laurent Guyolot ( France/Italy), Eldon Guay ( Canada), Alan Ward ( England), Nils Hansen ( Germany/Italy), Susheila Jamieson ( Borders), Arne Maeland ( Norway), Aileen-Anne Brannigaan ( Ireland), Paul Cook (England), and David Kent ( England).

Alan Ward "Throne for a Celtic King"

The event was organised by sculptor Tom Allan, who passionately believes that stone still offers a valid expression for the creative expression of art, and he describes the week as a “resounding success”.




Arne Maeland ""Tower House"

Plans are already underway for the second Stone Sculpture Symposium in Scotland next year.


Nils Hansen "Triskele symbol"

But first Tom is taking a well earned break - with a few weeks carving in the Carrara marble quarries, near Pisa.

Susheila Jamieson "Spiral"


On a personal note I found the symposium a refreshing change from the arid conceptualism masquerading as art that fills so many of our galleries today.

Brunton Hunter "Cup and Ring Spike"

Eldon Guay "Eternity"

Bonsai exhibition in The Manggha Center, Krakow

Claws

Looking for something different?
then why not try a visit to the Hghland Falconry and Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre.
Set up in 2000 the Highland Falconry is open all the year round and is based in the award winning
Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre, just 10 minutes from Comrie.
It offers educational visits and personal tuition for those who want to learn more about the ancient art of falconry along with "hawk walks" where you get to take a bird of prey out ( after some tuition!) and fly it in the local countryside.





Craig Stewart with his 8 week old European eagle owl and Russian Stepp eagle at the Highland Falconry Centre near Comrie.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders march through Stirling

March through Stirling ...drummer faints...another soldier feels ill...Provost inspects army....and crowds line the streets.

Speyside Cooperage

This is a family owned business going back three generations of the Taylor family. Based in Craigellackie in the heart of the Speyside its Visitors Centre allows the general public to view coopers at work.
Members of the Taylor family make regular visits to Missouri, Kentucky and Tennesee to buy high quality American oak for their casks.

the wedding feast

Family wedding in Cheshire.

Australian Highlanders Pipe Band

Australian Highlanders Pipe Band performing at the recent Bridge of Allan Games before taking part in the World Pipe Band Championship. They are all staying on campus at Stirling University.

Alaska Dog Mushing

Some very old footage which I have just re-edited taken of us dog mushing in Alaska during a stopover to Japan.

Bridge-of-Allan Highland Games

This is the most popular annual event in the town and draws huge crowds with a large international following.

HIghland piper

Boarded the ferry at Mallaig for Skye and on arrival we are greeted by Highland piper D.C. Ferguson piping visitors ashore. He lives in Aardvasar, Sleat and restores old photographs and historical documents

Sheep-shearing


Having just visited the High Pastures cave, a working archaeological site, on the Isle of Skye I came across a small farming community shearing sheep with the Cuillins in the background. It was Biddy and Norman from Kilbride farm with their team of helpers doing the annual shear of their 800 flock.

Electron club, Glasgow

Went to the launch of the Electron club in the CCA ( Centre for contemporary Arts which is currently recovering from a near death experience). The aim is to provide an open community for artists and computer folk to share and learn from each others experiences. Its a great idea though I am still not clear how you join.
They say its free and open to all...but how do you stop computers walking out of the door? maybe I am a bit cynical having already had a tv/vcr stolen from the Transmission gallery and there was an invigilator!...

Journey to Antarctica

Alan and Frances Fielding from Bridge of Allan, Scotland went on a journey to the Antarctica earlier this year. The photographs were taken by Frances and I edited them into a music video.
Enjoy!

Massacre of the midges

Evening in the Scottish Highlands

Video-Dunblane show

Four minute video of highlights from the Doune and Dunblane show.

Dollar Art Summer School

Just back from their annual exhibition held this year in the brand new Arts Centre of Dollar Academy, a gift from a former pupil!

Bridge of Allan gardens on television

Bridge-of-Allan Gardens, Scotland

BBC 1 clip taken from Beechgrove garden


Well, we have had our one minute of fame tonight! all four gardens participating in Scotland's Open Gardens scheme were featured in the gardening television programme Beechgrove Garden on BBC 1.

Alain de Bottom Hay Festival

Swelltering heat but worthwhile.

Robert Winton

Is there a God gene? Robert Winton seems to think so. This raises the question: when we start to tamper with the human gene pool ( which we will) will we slelave out the God gene?

Has it already served its evolutionary purpose? at present they think about a quarter per cent of the population carry this gene.

Antony Gormley

Here's an artist with a very serious message and highly articulate too. The interviewer was almost unnecesary inthis case.He talked about his latest installation in Western Australia working with Aborigines. Very cerebral yet with excellent communication skills.