Cultural Identity - An exhibition of large painted portraits of Scottish bards will be opened at the Royal Highland Hotel on Sunday 1st October for 12 days. This exhibition, with the title HEARTHEART, shows our rich cultural heritage through the form of modern contemporary painting.

Mairi Mhor nan Oran from the Isle of Skye sang, "Remember you are a people, stand up for your rights", almost two hundred years ago. She was like a Bob Marley of the Western Isles. Martyn Bennett the young genius prince of Scotland who through his music married the ancient with the modern, the spiritual with the industrial. Sorley Maclean and many others known and unknown are honoured here.
These portraits will be installed next year on four of the Caledonian Macbrayne Ferryboats to create a "Baric Voyage".

The artist Andrew J Ward grew up in strathpeffer and was a pupil at Dingwall Academy. He returned to Scotland last year after 30 years of living abroad. He exhibits internationaly and is represented in Switzerland by the Lutz and Thalmann Gallery.

This exhibition is sponsored by local firms, The Royal Highland Hotel, Daley's Deals, Tomatin Distillery (who have bought two of the Bard portraits), A4 Print and HSS of Inverness.

For more information see: www.andrewjward.com

Bards portrayed:
Peggy Mackenzie from the Isle of Lewis, Mary Maclean from North Uist, Angus Macfee from South Uist, Sorley Maclean from Raasay. Ailidh Dall from Lairg. Murdo and Donald Macaskill from Strathdearn. Martyn Bennett (ancestors from Skye). Mairi Mohr from the Isla of Skye. George Mackay Brown from Orkney.