Nithraid 2017 was the first time when this popular Dumfries river Nith festival continued into the night time with live music, film projections, tasty vegan stew, campfires and stories by the Vikings.
I was privileged to document the efforts of talented artists from the Stove Network that masterminded and ran Nithraid and that continuously come up with creative ideas enhancing the cultural life in Dumfries.
Team members did a great job tending to the campfires, and Nordic log fires enhanced this year’s Viking theme.
Silent film screenings projected onto the walls of the Nithraid Village tent were spectacular. One could sit looking up at the moving scenes absolutely mesmerised for hours!
Saulty Coo looked fabulous (even after the dunking) silhouetted in the setting sun.
Hugh Bryden’s free-standing model of the Lyceum cinema doors, a preview of the upcoming “Forgotten Doors” exhibition, was a real hit as an impromptu peekaboo playground. Ha-ha!
Local musicians Fraser Clark and Stuart MacPherson performing live on the Blueprint100 acoustic nautical stage added to the festival’s ambience.
Nithraid visitors were also treated to delicious vegetarian stew by Craig Patterson of Catering Plus.
Galloway Longfhada Vikings who provided day-time combat displays and re-enactments came down to Mill Green fires. As they joined the evening festivities Doonhamers had another taster of what life by their river was 1000 years ago.
What an incredible exciting and mellow evening it was!
Light Room was a week-long installation, workshop and sharing space that was created on the second floor of the Stove building in response to the UK 2016 Mental Health Awareness week. Light Room aimed to promote mindfulness, exchange and open expression. Windows were almost blacked out and the black ceiling…
Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club regatta was a momentous event this year, as in 2015 the club celebrated 150 years since the foundation of the club (NARC). The traditional 750m sprint race on the river Nith in Dumfries took place on 11 April, coinciding with Oxford v Cambridge 2015 races date. On the morning…
It was a pleasure to see the historic eight-sided bandstand in Dock Park, disused only a couple of years ago, becoming once again a focal point for Doonhamers’ weekend entertainment. Young Dumfries musicians, songwriters and singers performed their own material along with some popular covers live on the overhauled stage…
Don’t believe the weather lore! ‘Red sky at night; shepherds delight, Red sky in the morning; shepherds warning.’ I saw a lovely warm light descending on Kingholm Quay on Wednesday afternoon and hurried down the road with my camera to capture the banks of the River Nith and the harbour…
You’ve got to admire hard work, creativity and tenacity of young students from Joseph Chamberlain College who managed to run not one, but three fashion shows – at 1pm, 3pm and 6pm – at the Library of Birmingham yesterday. Not speaking of the effort that went into designing the garments…
As my Urban Portraits Dumfries project progressed I noticed that shooting in an urban environment was not particularly encouraging for recording the natural flow of seasons, but not impossible. That’s why I came up with an idea of autumnal portraits at Castledykes Park and was very happy when Kayleigh and…
