An artist who rode his bike upwards through Scotland made linocut prints of his journey which took him through wilderness around Loch Tay and off north to remnants of the Caledonian forest.
In July 2020, Neil Stewart embarked on a cycling journey from his home in the Scottish Borders to Inverness.
Frames Gallery in Perth has given him a show called Narrative Arks: Into the Wildwood which takes over the wall space in Victoria Street from February 4-25.
That summer of joyful exploring, Neil was sleeping outdoors, in woods, fields and riversides.
While journeying, he was recording visual impressions alongside an audio diary with interviews and music.
The exhibition promises to be a real audio visual experience. It consists of 16 lino cuts, and 24 display boards with his writing and QR codes that link to the audio files.
“The UK is a land of wildlife remnants, each isolated by vast spreading conurbations and motorways,” Neil explained.
“In late July 2020 as the first lockdown was easing I set off to follow Sustrans cycleways which thread these patches of green together like narrow wildlife corridors.
“My route map was dominated by mountain ranges and rivers.
“En route to Inverness I spent some days in Perthshire via Glen Ogle and over to Loch Tay, passing through Aberfeldy then Pitlochry before tackling the Drumochter Pass.
“I loved the profusion of trees in Perthshire, the beauty and fertility of its land.
“My own family on my father’s side were originally from Braco.
“I aimed to create a series of linocut prints telling the story of my ten days and nights.
I also made a bass-relief sculpture in elmwood called simply ‘Sleeping in the Woods’.
“This was a multimedia project funded by VACMA (Visual Artist and Craftmaker Award). As well as planning prints, taking photographs, I developed musical ideas en route.
“I had a small guitar strapped to the bike’s panniers and I recorded soundscapes, ruminations, even conversations with young archaeologists at the Scottish Crannog Centre amongst others.
“These sound diaries can be heard at the Frames exhibition.
“This was a celebration of Scotland’s Right to Responsible Access, to our National Parks, to the Sustrans cycle routes and so I camped at night in woods, fields and by riverbanks.
“I had a yen to sleep deeply under an ancient tree canopy in Glen Feshie’s resurgent wildwood. This destination over and above Inverness was the culmination and realisation of a journey that was always a stepping out from my front door at the fringes of a Peeblesshire forest, and into the ancient Caledonian forest with its ghosts of bear, wolves, wildcat, boar and lynx.”
A stunning book accompanies Neil’s exhibition which inside features his diaries and the 16 linocuts.
See www.framesgallery.co.uk where featured works can be ordered online.
