Habitat by Colin Blanchard
‘Wild Solway’: Art exhibition and auction
Caerlaverock Visitor Centre DG1 1JQ
4-31 October 2024
DAGFAS entered into a collaboration with the Wetland and Wildfowl Trust in the autumn of 2024 to stage a joint art exhibition at the WWT Visitor Centre at Caerlaverock, near Dumfries, with an auction to follow. The idea began as a fund-raising exercise but was also designed to raise the profile of each organisation. The theme “Wild Solway’ was chosen as the title, and donations of artwork were invited both from DAGFAS members and other artists with an interest in wildlife and the work of the Wetland Trust. We were grateful for the immediate support of auctioneers Thomson Roddick of Dumfries, who offered their services free of charge as did member Roger Lever, who acted as our ‘official photographer’. Thank you all.
The ‘Wild Solway’ project certainly fulfilled its aims in helping to foster awareness of this unique part of the natural world that we enjoy here in Dumfries and Galloway, especially along the Solway estuary. The big skies and shifting sands of the estuary engender a feeling of timelessness. It is a place of ‘otherness’ and legend that has inspired artists, poets and creators over time.
All this as well as the influence of the many exceptional artists and writers who worked in the region and still do – Peter Scott and Donald Watson were both dedicated wildlife artists who worked within the landscape of Galloway and have inspired generations. They were among the founders of the modern-day conservation movement, and their contribution continues today. Both were dedicated towards inspiring awareness and appreciation of these places, and now we were celebrating once more, through collaboration between artists and conservationists.
Marianne Nicholson, the WWT engagement Officer said:
“WWT Caerlaverock is super excited to be working with DAGFAS on this exhibition. Caerlaverock has a long history of collaborating with artists and so we are over the moon to have this opportunity to support local talent.”
In fact, we attracted artworks well beyond the ‘local’, from as far away as Aberdeenshire, with work in many genres on display. We offered prizes to try an attract entries, and the display was enhanced by prose and poems from the Stewartry Writers who were inspired,too, both by the work and the Solway landscape. The exhibition opened on 4th October with the prize-giving among a gathering of many of the contributors and supporters. The winning entries were as follows:
1st John Threlfall £500
2nd Roger Lever £250
3rd Sheena McCurrach. £150
4th Charlie Butler £100
Many of the artists were themselves thrilled and inspired to be part of “Wild Solway”. Here are a few quotes from them:
“Wonderful to be part of such a worthwhile exhibition- made possible by you and your team”
“I am just happy to be making some sort of contribution to such a worthwhile cause. WWT Caerlaverock was always dear to my heart whilst living in D&G and was probably one of the factors in me moving to D&G some 30 odd years ago. That and the ‘Wild Solwayscape’, such a wonderfully evocative light filled space, even more so, for me, with the arrival of winter wildfowl from the north. ‘’Harsh and exciting’’ as Mary Oliver put it.”
“Just been to see the exhibition at Caerlaverock. It looks really lovely. I hope lots of people visit the Wetland Centre to see it!”
At the end of the auction we raffled off Lisa Hooper’s wonderful print of Whooper Swans which brought our final total sales to over £2000 which,minus expenses, have been shared with the WWT.
Thank you to all of you who supported “Wild Solway”.It has been inspiring to be part of the whole process and had brought many people and groups together.
Sheena McCurrach