Fundraising auction features ‘stunning’ painting by late Golspie artist Steve MacGruer
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A “stunning” large-scale painting by a well-known Sutherland artist is among the lots in a fundraising auction currently under way online.
‘Coastline Widows’ by Steve MacGruer is one of more than 80 lots, which also includes a print by another acclaimed local artist, Sally Orr (Wild) of Dornoch.
Coigach Heritage, a voluntary organisation, is holding the event as part of a fundraising drive, launched last summer, to raise money for its Lorg na Còigich project.
The ambitious project involves the creation of a new public art installation to commemorate the successful land struggles of the early 1850s when local people, led by women, successfully prevented evictions.
The defiant people of Coigach at the time summarily rejected Clearance writs issued by the Marchioness of Stafford.
Sheriff officers turned up five times with the dreaded “summons of removing”, only to be despatched, suffering varying degrees of humiliation.
Mairi Thornton of Coigach Heritage said: “The events were remarkable not least because the rebellion was often led by local women.
“Successful community resistance against a landlord was almost unprecedented in Highland history and attracted national media attention.
“The people of Coigach were described as early heroes in the developing land wars that eventually led to the Napier Commission and the Crofting Act of 1886.
“It is a remarkable story that has been lost through time and is now to be celebrated through a magnificent sculpture.
“Lorg means a trace or footprint. While Lorg marks the footprints of those who have gone before us, it is also about the importance of community and the traces we will leave for future generations.”
Planning consent was granted last week for the artwork which has been designed by well-known artists Will Maclean and Marian Leven and is to be located at a site overlooking the sea at Acheninver, Achiltibuie.
Will Maclean designed the land raid memorials in Lewis, constructed over two decades ago in Pairc, Aignish, Gress and Reef in Uig, and commemorating the 20th century struggle by island cofters for control of the land on which they lived.
The Coigach sculpture consists of a central monolith surrounded by three stones representing the leaders of the resistance, Katie Macleod Campbell, and two of her supporters Mary Macleod and Anna Bhan.
There is an entranceway and a small surrounding wall, which will be built from local ruins, and five granite slabs representing boats.
It is hoped that it will be a place of reflection and education as well as a meeting place and a celebration of materials and crafts.
Coigach Heritage is still working on the final costs of the project and has an ambitious fundraising programme.
Ms Thornton said: “Funding so far has come from Coigach Community Development Company - from community turbine funds - as well as from private individuals and some trusts, and from the local community and visitors who love the area. People are intrigued by the story of these amazing women.
“We are in the process of applying to the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.”
Ms Thornton added: “The auction is an important fundraising event and special because local artists and others from across the country have donated work.
“This is a very creative and generous community and people want to see this magnificent public art installation succeed. Last year musicians held a wonderful ceilidh to launch the fundraising drive and now artists have come together to support the project.”
As well as the works by Steve MacGruer and Sally Orr, paintings have been submitted by Will Maclean, Marian Leven, Barbara Rae, Gerry Irvine and others.
The Steve MacGruer painting was donated by Hazel Godfrey of Edinburgh in memory of her late husband Dr Allan Matheson.
The couple bought the 4ft by 3ft landscape acrylic on canvas, which is signed with the artist’s name and monogram, in 1984 from the artist’s studio in Golspie while on holiday in the area.
The work was apparently inspired by the play The Widows of Clyth, written by Donald Campbell in 1979 and based on a drowning tragedy in Caithness in which six fishermen lost their lives.
“It is a stunning piece,” said Ms Thornton. “It is difficult to say how much it will fetch but we are hoping for several hundred pounds.
The auction opened last weekend and runs until 4pm next Sunday, April 28.
To learn more about the Lorg na Còigich project, visit: www.coigach-heritage.org/lorg-na-coigich; to donate to the project, visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/lorg-na-coigich. The online auction site is at: www.coigach-heritage.org/fundraising-art-auction.
Steve MacGruer, who died in August, 2004, excelled at art at school under the tutelage of Donald Douglas. He went on to art college in Dundee and then trained as a teacher.
He taught art at Golspie High School for 26 years and retired as principal teacher of art in 1998.
Outside of his studio and gallery in Golspie, he had an international presence and his work graces many walls throughout the globe.
He was considered to be a “master of moods”, capturing not only the essence of the ever-changing light, the skies, seas and misty layered mountains, but equally its magnificent splendour.
Shortly before his death he had a major exhibition in Edinburgh which was a complete success and he was commissioned to provide 25 paintings for another major exhibition.
