Baa-rilliant sculptures from Hamilton artist
A talented Hamilton artist will have fans flocking to see her work this summer – after painting two unique sheep sculptures that will feature in a public art project on show across Scotland.
Megan Reilly has contributed special designs to the Flock to the Show trail, which will tour the country during April and May ahead of going on display at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh in June.
One of the creations is named Shepherd’s Delight and depicts a beautifully-coloured sunset and sunrise images of a farmer herding their sheep; while she was also asked to paint another of the sculptures in the trademark tartan of late Scottish rugby star Doddie Weir.
She is among artists from across the UK who have designed sheep for the art project, being run by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).
The sculptures will first scatter to various locations including Buchanan Galleries, Queen Street and Waverley train stations, landmarks such as John O’groats and the Kelpies, and to Melrose Rugby Club where Doddie won six Scottish club championships.
Megan posted a social media reel showing a time-lapse of her painting the Doddie sheep in his yellow and blue tartan, and said she was “honoured” to be asked to make the tribute to the late sportsman and motor neurone disease campaigner, who died of the condition in November. She said: “Being part of this art trail means a lot for me; seeing my work touring round Scotland and then being auctioned off to raise money for charity is any artist’s dream come true.”
Megan started her business more than a decade ago and has since painted more than 1000 murals, ranging from intricately-decorated nurseries in customers’ homes to large-scale creations for businesses across Lanarkshire.
She added: “I absolutely love taking boring plain walls and transforming them with bright colours and eclectic designs; the thing I love most about my job is seeing customers’ reactions and how happy it makes them to see their vision become reality.”
Megan previously painted a Snowdog sculpture for a similar public art trail in Huddersfield last year.
Now her sheep are among 35 forming the RHASS tour and Ingliston event – marking the return of the world sheepshearing championship to the Royal Highland Show this year, and which will then be auctioned in September to support the charity’s bicentennial fund.
Organisers says it is “designed to engage visitors of all ages [and] raise awareness of different causes related to farming, including regenerative agriculture, rural isolation and climate change”.
Environment minister Mairi Mcallan, the Clydesdale MSP, paid a visit to the colourful flock at the Royal Highland showground, and said: “The innovative exhibition is a unique and creative way of drawing attention to important agricultural issues such as the cost of living and doing business, rural isolation, animal health and welfare, and the climate and nature emergencies.
“Our rural communities should be rightly proud of the high international standing of Scotland’s agricultural industry, and this exhibition is an important way of celebrating their success.”
RHASS chairman Jim Warnock added: “We’re very much looking forward to seeing our flock out and about across Scotland, with such a brilliant and diverse range of designs from talented artists; and hope that everyone will get involved and pay a visit to our flock when they arrive in your region.”