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MAKING sense of grief and loss has provided the inspiration for an art exhibition celebrating the rural Moray community of The Cabrach.
Glass from the broken windows of abandoned houses forms the centrepiece of the exhibition in Elgin this weekend.
Kate Cameron Reid, a former fashion industry professional who worked on London’s Savile Row will be among the artists whose creations will reflect the storied past and natural beauty of the Cabrach, which is currently undergoing a renaissance driven by The Cabrach Trust.
Exhibiting alongside Kate is Fiona Percy, a visual, mixed media textile storyteller.
The project has been funded by the UK Government, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, enabling two local early-career artists to curate and showcase their work, whilst providing mentorship from renowned artists Mary Bourne and Lynne Strachan.
Connecting The Cabrach is at The Chapter House at Elgin Cathedral from June 28-30. It is is open 10am to 4pm each day and admission is £10 or free to Historic Environment Scotland members.
Kate’s creations form an abstract hanging piece onto which images of the abandoned houses of the Cabrach will be projected, as well as a second piece that resembles a model of a Cabrach house.
Kate (42), spent 15 years in fashion but, after her husband Anthony died in 2020 aged 34, she moved to Lossiemouth with her two children and became a multidisciplinary, contemporary artist. She now uses art to channel her experiences and to allow others to make sense of life events.
“My artwork is an expression of making sense of what happened,” said Kate. “The abandoned houses and the brokenness of the Cabrach resonated with me. I found broken glass outside those old houses and stitched them together.
“When I create pieces, I reconstruct those life events Anthony and I went through. It’s therapeutic. Death shouldn’t be something people shy away from, and I hope my work helps people process their own grief.”
“For Connecting The Cabrach, we took a few walks around the Cabrach. I don’t think I’ve seen so many abandoned houses in one place. I was left thinking about the generations of people who lived there and looked through those windows and what they might have seen through that glass.”
Sam Dowdall, Community and Development Manager at The Cabrach Trust, said: “Connecting The Cabrach has proven to be an incredible opportunity through which we have empowered two early-career artists from Moray to exhibit their stunning creations at Inverharroch in The Cabrach and Elgin Cathedral. Beyond their work alongside celebrated artists Mary and Lynne, Kate and Fiona have really embraced the Cabrach community and excelled in the concept-to-creation process.
“The project captures an emotive, captivating take on The Cabrach, whilst providing a platform for collaboration, encouraging new heritage audiences, and building on local sustainable partnerships.”
Reflecting on the Connecting The Cabrach project, Mary Bourne added: “Mentoring Kate and Fiona has been a fascinating and rewarding process. It has been very exciting to see the depth of their engagement with the place and the originality of their responses, using broken glass, copper, and wool – materials with deep and emotionally charged connections to The Cabrach. Lynne and I are very proud of what they have achieved and are delighted our support has enabled them to stretch their artistic practices into new areas.”