The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Artist Lynn lands residential role at award-winning Highland gardens
It is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland, picture perfect in its own right. And for the 2017 season, the famous Inverewe Gardens will have its very own artist in residence.
Inverewe has started the year with the launch of anewgallery and the introduction of Lynn Bennett-Mackenzie to the role.
She launched her exhibition, Art with Nature 1, at the recently opened Sawyer Gallery in the historic property, which is based within 54- acre grounds. At the opening night, Lynn introduced the guests to her exhibition exploring the nature of art.
Property manager Kevin Frediani said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Lynn as our artist in residence and know that this will give visitors a wonderful opportunity to see an accomplished artist in action and to have chance to view her outstanding works of art.”
Adrian Hollister, curator of the gallery and founder ofOpen StudioWorkshops, thanked the community for supporting Lynn and welcomed her to the Wester Ross community.
Lynn’s residency will explore the nature of art in the gardens and wider estate. She plans to “work with nature and work with light” and be creative on specific dates around the equinoxes.
The assembled guests, many of them locals, were also thanked by Mr Frediani for helping Inverewewin the BBC’s Garden of the Year award, saying that it was the public vote that had made Inverewe top in the UK.
Throughout the whole of April and May Inverewe will stage the Scottish Rhododendron Festival and Easter sees the first Erythronium Festival, together with a Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt.
Top specialists will be visiting for walks, talks and workshops throughout the month of April.
Late last year, Inverewe House opened its doors to the public for the first time after a £2million restoration. The official opening was carried out by Simon Skinner, chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland and Professor Ian Percy, former chairman of the NTS.
Situated in the heart of the gardens which overlook Loch Ewe, the house was built by the adventurous and pioneering Mairi Sawyer, daughter of Osgood Mackenzie, who first established the gardens in the 1860s.
The full Inverewe events programme can be found online, the garden opens to the public on April 1, and more information about the artist’sworkison her blog at lynnbmack.blog spot.co.uk