Early October visitors to the Cowal peninsula are liable to find
themselves tramping along the coffin bearers' hill path from Glenkin
to Inverchaolin graveyard, learning about the craft of quilting, looking
at paintings in shop windows along the streets of Dunoon, or a combination
of these and many other activities on offer during the annual Cowalfest.
A chance meeting with two honeymooning artists had resulted in an
invitation to send two of my photographs for the festival's first-ever
Windowshoppers Gallery. I was sufficiently intrigued to follow my
pictures and learn more about the event, which was how I came to be,
one day in the autumn of 2005, on the road that burrows and wriggles
its way south from Inveraray on the last leg of the drive from Skye
to Dunoon.
So tortuous is any overland route into this corner of Scotland's
mainland, that the simplest entry is in fact by sea. Glaswegians and
their neighbours have been sailing "doon the watter" to Dunoon for
generations, and today's ferries continue the tradition as they carry
commuters, tradesmen and holiday makers across the Clyde from Gourock.
However you arrive in Dunoon, there's the feeling that without an
occasional foray to make sure the outside world was still there, life
here could be almost truly insular.
Dunoon, however, has other ideas. From its beginnings in the late
1800s as a holiday resort, it grew to become Cowal's principal centre
of population. During World War II, nearby Holy Loch was a Royal Navy
submarine base and became the British base of the American Navy's
nuclear submarine fleet from 1961 to 1992.
Today, not only does the town host the annual Cowal Gathering - the
largest Highland Games in the world - but in 2002 Russell and Dorothy
Bruce, inspired by their experience of the walking festivals that
have become so popular in the Scottish Borders, initiated Cowalfest.
The organisers describe it as "a new style of festival…breaking down
barriers, dusting down traditional walking, taking the arts out of
their box…putting Cowal on the map". So effectively have these sentiments
been put into practice by a dedicated band of volunteers that the
venture, with Dunoon at its hub, is now a significant landmark and
is still growing.
Of course, you don't need a walking festival to explore Cowal, but
the volunteer walk guides are enthusiasts keen to share their knowledge,
and for many participants - visitors and local inhabitants alike -
Cowalfest has become a regular fixture in their holiday calendar.
Walks are graded from easy to strenuous, and are carefully described
in the programme. Time is generously allocated to allow for rests
and discussion en route, and numbers limited to make sure the leader
can give everyone the attention they need. Most of the walks have
a theme, be it shoreline geology, forest fungi, coffins, or even open-air
drama.
However, Cowalfest is not just about the great outdoors, and there
seems to be something for everyone. The list includes traditional
music concerts, talks and slide shows about the local area, its history
and wildlife, ceilidh dances, a Celtic feast and the Windowshoppers'
Gallery, described in the programme as: "Great art in 62 shop windows
in central Dunoon - by artists with international reputations from
Cowal, Scotland, Holland and South Africa." All the work is for sale,
with a percentage of the selling price going into the festival funds.
The gallery was a new addition to the 2005 programme and, after a
few predictable initial reservations, Dunoon took it on with enthusiasm.
Conceived and driven by Don and Jean McNeil (my honeymooners), the
gallery's objective is to bring "art" into the everyday life of shoppers
on the street as they go about their normal business, in recognition
of the exclusive aura that - for many people - still clings to art
galleries and their inhabitants.
In 2005, local and not-so-local artists and makers to contribute
a piece of work. In 2006 the gallery is showcasing works from the
Dundee Print Studio, each piece on display in one of the town's shop
windows. Dunoon is perfectly suited to such an idea, as the streets
are still lined with small, individual shops.
The result: 60 positive traders, more than that number of artworks
and an exhibition that runs the length and breadth of Dunoon's major
and minor shopping streets. The organisers present each shop with
a piece of artwork to incorporate into their window display, and it's
clear that most shopkeepers enjoy applying their window-dressing skills
to the task.
In many cases, colours and shapes complement each other to the extent
that a guided tour turns into a treasure hunt - watercolour sheep
graze among lamb chops in the butcher's window, a dragon's head adorns
the Chinese restaurant, and "Sexy Shoes" lurk in the shoe shop, where
else?
As a contributing artist, I was invited to guide a walk round the
exhibition. It's a great way to explore Dunoon, but you need to watch
out for the traffic. I feared for my small party as we darted across
the streets, seeking out the Windowshoppers' Gallery stickers that
indicate a work of art lurking somewhere among the goods on display.
One member of the group, a Dunoon resident, exclaimed: "I've looked
in shops I would normally pass without noticing!"
Despite all the jay walking, the group survived and even threatened
to increase in number as regular shoppers stopped to see what we found
so interesting in the pharmacy, or the delicatessen, or the greengrocer's.
Two hours passed in a moment and everyone pronounced it a great success,
including the traders. They obviously enjoyed the extra interest generated
by the event, and our visits met with enthusiasm. Would they like
to take part again?
"Yes, it's a good idea."
The conclusion seems to be that the exercise pulls together Dunoon's
traders, inhabitants and visitors to a remarkable degree, that the
concept is not only brave but brilliant. Such has been the demand
from shopkeepers that the 2006 Windowshoppers Gallery will continue
for an extra week beyond the main festival.
Whatever your choice of activity, at some point during the day you'll
be gasping for a cuppa, when you could well stumble into the Baptist
Church Hall café as I did. My own visit coincided with a special display
by the Bee Stitched Quilters.
I found myself plunged into a kaleidoscope of ceiling-to-floor and
wall-to-wall colour. A double row of quilts, wall-hangings and bedspreads
suspended from the rafters brings to mind the avenue of giant redwood
trees in nearby Benmore Botanic Gardens.
I halted in my tracks until one of the quilters on stewarding duty
gently invited me to join her in a guided tour - this is part of the
walking festival, after all - or to wander round freely and ask questions
later. It was all skilfully informal and unpressurised.
So first I wandered, then I overheard someone else's "tour guide"
in full flow and I sidled over to listen. An hour later I remembered
that I came in for a cup of tea.
"No, we've not done this before, it's our first public show and some
of the quilters took a lot of persuading!" laughs Maureen Emerson,
the group's teacher. " There's work by quilters of all levels and
ages. And there's a story behind most of the quilts on show."
She relates one or two of the stories - they're heartwarming, heartstopping
and heartbreaking by turn - and you realise there's more to a home-stitched
quilt than meets the eye. The vital ingredients of technique and inspiration
are both here in good measure, along with an infectious dose of enthusiasm.
Back in the bandstand square outside the festival Arts Centre at
the Argyll Hotel, a giant canvas and several pots of paint have appeared
and are luring passers-by to stop for a look. Many jib at the invitation
to take up a brush and make their mark, but artist Jean McNeil is
persuasive and, under her guidance, by the end of the week a huge
painting emerges, depicting the tale of Deirdre of the Sorrows. The
story tells of a beautiful, 4th century Irish princess who eloped
with her lover to Scotland, only to meet with treachery and a tragic
end back in the royal court of Ireland.
At the door of the Arts Centre, a display of photographs and information
presents the 16th century Glen Masan Manuscript, which tells of Cowal's
part in Deirdre's adventures. In addition, the event programme lists
several opportunities - a number of them during guided walks - to
see an open-air enactment of the story.
Inside the centre, rug makers, basker weavers, wood turners and others
display their wares and talk about their chosen craft. It's a small
space, but so full of smiles and welcome that you don't mind the squeeze
as you inspect the work on show.
The sound of traditional music drifting across the square draws a
growing crowd in the late afternoon sunshine, as cellist Seylan Baxter
and clarsach player Cheyenne Brown - just off the ferry - strike up
a practice session in preparation for their evening performance at
the Celtic Feast. This is billed as "a wondrous celebration of history,
culture and food in Cowal…with a performance of three short playlets…clarsach
and cello accompaniment", and I find myself wondering whether I couldn't
stay just one more day.
Seylan and Cheyenne are students on the Scottish Music course at
the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. They're good, as
you'd expect, and they have definite plans for the future. Cheyenne
is from Alaska: "We want to tour in America as a duo, playing traditional
music. We have our name already - An Drasda. That's Gaelic
for 'now'."
There's an impatience behind the name that is reflected in their
conversation. These two young women are keen to get on with their
musical career, and Cowalfest has provided a stepping stone for them
along the way.
During my brief visit to Cowalfest I met many people testing stepping
stones, not least the organisers themselves. I was convinced they'd
be back with renewed enthusiasm in October 2006. If you're within
reach, take a trip "doon the watter" and see for yourself what they
come up with this time.
You can check up on this year's Cowalfest programme:
www.cowalfest.org