Posts for February, 2025

Come and join us for this extra special music event – home-grown folk music, local heritage and good company, in the beautiful surroundings of Boat of Garten Community Hall in Strathspey.

Local musicians Hamish Napier (flute, whistles, harmonium, vocals) and Jordan Neil (guitar, Scottish small pipes), a brand new all-Strathspey musical duo, will present a programme of folk music themed on River Spey, surrounding hills and local heritage.

★★★★★ “Napier has the composer’s gift of painting a picture with sound, more evocative that an artist. Superb.” FATEA Magazine

Come and join us for this extra special music event – home-grown folk music, local heritage and good company, in the cozy atmosphere of Edinvillie Community Hall, near Aberlour.

Local musicians Hamish Napier (flute, whistles, harmonium, vocals) and Jordan Neil (guitar, Scottish small pipes), a brand new all-Strathspey musical duo, will present a programme of folk music themed on River Spey, surrounding hills and local heritage.

★★★★★ “Napier has the composer’s gift of painting a picture with sound, more evocative that an artist. Superb.” FATEA Magazine

Come and join us for this extra special music event – home-grown folk music, local heritage and good company, in the cozy atmosphere of Laggan Village Hall in Badenoch.

Local musicians Hamish Napier (flute, whistles, harmonium, vocals) and Jordan Neil (guitar, Scottish small pipes), a brand new all-Strathspey musical duo, will present a programme of folk music themed on River Spey, surrounding hills and local heritage.

★★★★★ “Napier has the composer’s gift of painting a picture with sound, more evocative that an artist. Superb.” FATEA Magazine

Arboreal By Liz Green explores the iconic Highland woodland types made by Pine, Birch and Oak trees as well as plantations. These paintings are a feast of colour, pattern, texture, season and botanical identity distilled to depict the character and atmosphere of uniquely different woodland places.
‘I hope these paintings immerse the viewer in arboreal realms that I have found to be awe-inspiring, grounding and uplifting. Knowing trees can span several human generations and support an intricate wealth of other life is endlessly fascinating at every scale of observation’.
Liz Green is a self-taught artist based at WASPs Inverness Creative Academy and living in Inverness since 2003. Working in both oils and acrylic, her paintings include a mixture of realistic detail and stylised abstraction at differing scales. Her previous life strongly informs her art. With a degree in Botany and career as a plant ecologist, then environmental campaigner Liz has a deep understanding of ecosystems, the value and jeopardy of habitats and the complexity of trying to influence policy. Doing garden design work to suit places and people, then working in schools embedded her interest in visual communication. It was worsening arthritis that propelled her to start painting more in 2010 and she has not looked back.

WENDY GROSVENOR
BA(Hons)Fine Art

AN INTENTION – A stretching or bending of the mind toward an object; closeness of
application; fixedness of attention.

You are invited to view an artist’s exhibition of intention, process and outcome. And to take a tiny glimpse into the world of a sensory practice.
Semi-figurative artist Wendy Grosvenor uses a variety of different mediums to explore and respond to sensory connections and the sensory places that she inhabits.
‘My artmaking always begins with an intention.
My practice embraces tactile markmaking :- paint, water, charcoal, graphite – spoken word, sounds, found objects and three-dimensional form.
My process takes me to unexpected places and invariably, regardless of my intent, my painting seems find a life of it’s own. This is the explorative part for me.
It is exciting to visit a ‘different place’- an unexpected place – on a canvas. There is the gambler’s thrill in the unknowing, together with pure happenstance, which is quite addictive. When this overrides the intention – well, then I am delighted.
Wendy Grosvenor

“Who owns Strathspey”. Fascinating insight into this oft pondered question from Will Anderson, Chief Executive of Seafield & Strathspey Estates. Hosted by The Grantown Society (NOTE change to normal venue: this talk is in Grantown YM/YW Community Centre Cinema).

Reach into the living landscape of the Northern Cairngorms in this immersive and creative workshop, accompanied by Ed’s creative input and professional eye as he guides you with expansive knowledge of his local wilderness.

Photograph light and movement as it glows through ancient forests and follow the flowing burns as they tumble down from the granite monoliths looming above. As you capture the essence of what it means to be amongst this living and ever-changing landscape, you will advance your photography skills and deep dive into creating a powerful narrative with your pictures.

From an all-inclusive accommodation base in Kingussie you will be guided through inspiring and evocative locations in the Northern Cairngorms, taking in the fresh light and colour of spring. Alongside Ed’s accomplished and specialist insight, two of the course days include the addition of a mountain leader to support access to more remote locations.

Saturday Sessions will set out on foot from Eleven41 Gallery on Kingussie High St, after meeting for a pre-departure coffee at 9am.

These instructional sessions will explore and open up creative possibilities within the local landscape, whatever the weather, focusing on photographic narrative and a variety of techniques to enjoy the variety of Kingussie’s local moors, woodlands, burns and landmarks.

As a Highland town Kingussie is very fortunate to have an expansive variety of outdoor terrain, accessible via a plethora of well made hill and woodland tracks made by the fantastic volunteers of Kingussie Community Development Company.

From capturing ethereal long exposures of the Gynack Burn rapids to dramatic plays of light along the Spey valley, or focusing on the micro details of the flora spotted along the way, these one-day sessions will bring your senses to the forefront in advancing what you can capture and the stories you will go on to tell from your own local landscape.

Join acclaimed local Strathspey musician and composer Hamish Napier for an imersive day delving into top trad tunes, arrangements and creativity. This workshop is designed for players who want to deepen their skills and explore traditional Scottish tunes in a welcoming group setting.
Open to people age 16+ who play a folk instrument at intermediate to advanced level.

We will focus on:
🎵 Expanding your trad session tune repertoire
🎶 Learn a few cracking local tunes from Badenoch & Strathspey
🎻 Exploring ornaments and variations to bring melodies to life
🎼 Learning how to arrange music for small folk ensembles

Come and kick your heels up at the Storylands Sessions Ceilidh Concert in the Kincraig Community Hall.

Celebrating the rich culture and connections of our Highland community, this multi-generational event brings together the best of traditional music, dance and storytelling with an upbeat, contemporary twist.

There will be music from Grantown piano player / dance-caller Hamish Napier, Cromdale fiddle player Eric Pirie and the Fèis Spè Junior Ceilidh Band. All the popular folk dances from the Gay Gordons to the Virginia Reel interwoven with performances from Merryn Glover and other writers, storytellers and poets, this is set to be a very special night.

BYOB – Bring your own drinks. Juice, teas and coffees provided.

Image credit Peter Dennis