It's the Chinese 'Year of the dog', and it's brought to mind the fun I used to have with the wee 'cuilean's' as a wean.
When I was a wee boy, my brother and sister and i would get shipped off to my Granny's farm every holiday.It was a fantastic time, running free amongst the bracken of Claonaig hills, clambering over the rocky Kennacraig shoreline, sprachling up moss covered rocks, and scaring each other on the old swing bridge. It wasn't all carefree though - we had to earn our keep by 'helping' around the place. One of the jobs was to clean out the dog kennels - and because my Grandfather and my Uncle were both shepherd's - well there were a lot of Border Collies to clean up after! I remember the shovel I was given was taller than me! It was in with the shovel, then with the hose! Thing is, I can't remember it being an unpleasant experience...just another one of those farmyard smells. Plus the aroma of my Granny's freshly baked cakes and scones always covered it up - and we were always rewarded with one of these treats when finished mucking out! Have a creative day and speak soon! Davy I took a wee turn in to the Paisley Museum and Galleries the other day for a look at 'The Monarch Of The Glen'. This fantastic work by Edwin Landseer, painted around 1851, is taking a hurl through a few of Scotland's smaller galleries, in thanks for the purchase of it, partly from public funds and donations. There are mixed opinions as to what this piece means to modern day Scots - some say it's 'majestic', others that it's 'kitsch', yet others that say it's reminiscent of Scotland being the playground of rich victorian imperialist Englishmen - a place suited for 'hunting, shooting, and fishing'. I think it's rather a beautiful piece, reminding me of the spirit of the Scots - majestic, proud, firm and true. It's a wee bit melancholic though, as the bonnie beast was probably shot, and it's heiid now slowly turning to dust, hinging off the wall of some crumbling stately home down south. It also raised a wry smile in me that there's a version of the painting in the American sitcom 'Schitt'$ Creek'. It 's placed behind the reception desk - have a peek, next time you'e watching, it's available on netflix in the UK. I hope you get a chance to see 'The Monarch Of The Glen' in person. It's in Paisley Museum until the 11th of March, and then at Kirkcudbright Galleries from 11 May until 27 June 2018.There's a whole fun exhibition built around the piece with versions of the work in various styles - lego, pop art and minecraft to name a few
Have a fun day and speak soon Davy |
Whit's he up tae noo?The blog posts of David Brodie, a Scottish artist based near Glasgow. Archives
October 2018
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