The first two Colmcille Legacy Awards have been made to fine artist Catriona Patience and songwriter Rachel Walker. The Colmcille Legacy Award was created by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Culture, Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS) to commemorate the life and cultural legacy of Colmcille throughout the Year of Colmcille, 1500.
Catriona’s project has three parts associated with Colmcille: watercolor birds, island maps, and Gaelic text from Tobair an Dualchais (who preserve material in languages including Scottish Gaelic). She will produce three watercolour pictures of birds from the genus Columba, featuring maps and landlines from islands associated with Colmcille. Catriona also uses digital techniques for her artwork, and Gaelic text will be included in the images. There is a huge appetite on Instagram and other social media channels for bird photography and artwork, so Catriona hopes her project will tell Colmcille’s story to new audiences online.
Rachel Walker meanwhile is going to compose a new Gaelic song in the form of a hymn or blessing. Drawing references to the life of Colmcille, and the people and places that he was linked to, she will look particularly at the ancient hymns attributed to Colmcille. Inspiration for her piece will also be taken from the power of water and the constant turn of the tide - the same tide that carried Colmcille on his journeys between Gaelic communities. Her new Gaelic song aims to showcase the language as something which is living, breathing and growing.
The Colmcille Legacy Award offers monthly arts awards and online exhibitions to profile and support Gaelic artists work, aligned to themes of Colmcille. Find out more and apply for an award.
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