Stephanie's image set to leave a lasting impression
A YOUNG Brechin artist is heading off to further enhance her studies in America, having also just had her first paid-for work snapped up by the city's Town House Museum, which will display the historic scene of the cross for posterity once the museum itself re-opens.
Stephanie Machray said that art has always be something she has enjoyed, but is something she doesn't feel she will make a career of.
Having gained a bursary from the Brechin Civic Trust, she is taking the opportunity to spend a year in America with a host family, while, at the same time, continuing her studies, before going on to study retail management at Robert Gordon's in Aberdeen.
Stephanie said: "Mr Dempsey, the rector at the High School approached me and asked me to do a piece.
"What he asked for was something that had to be related to Brechin, so I went on to the internet and trailed through a few pictures of Brechin.
"I came across one of the cross which I thought would be recognised by people today, but also had a lot of old character about it.
"I have always had an interest in art. When I was younger, I always had a load of sketch books and drawing and art is something that I have always enjoyed.
"There were two of us who went forward for the bursary, myself and Rachael Matthew, and we agreed beforehand that whoever won, we would split the prize. Rachael is also going to Robert Gordon's to study art.
"I am going on to study retail management simply because it can open a lot of doors on the management side of business.
"After selling the picture, I definitely want to continue with it, but it will be more of as a sideline and as a hobby rather than a career.
"The picture is a variation of ink, watercolours and pencil. I studied some of the work of Van Gogh from his blue period for my advanced higher art and I found that really interesting.
"It highlighted a very dark period in his life. It followed a period where one of his friends had committed suicide and reflected an outburst of how he felt at the time.
"I also have to thank Miss Kibbler, my art teacher at Brechin High School, who has been a great help to me, especially in the past year or so.
"Having done standard grade art previously and then higher art, I am now waiting to hear how the results of my advanced highers have gone. I will hopefully get them a couple of weeks into August, but I think I have done okay."
As part of her work for the Civic Trust Bursary, Stephanie also had to include a written submission, which we include here:
"The High Street was a location for various markets including the Muckle Market. This was a feeling or hiring market which was held twice a year on the first Tuesday after White Sunday and Martinmas.
"The market featured a host of attractions such as music from pipers, fiddlers and ballad singers, various showmen, plus stalls selling factory seconds from all over the country.
"The day after Muckle Market was called Little Wednesday, a reference, no doubt, to the lack of work that was accomplished. The lamp-post marks the site of the market cross.
"The building on the left side of Church Street, right on the corner, was first mentioned as a tollbooth in 1450 and repairs were carried out thereafter.
"It was apparently a two-storey structure, council and bailie's court. The first floor was also used as a jail. In 1789 the present tollbooth was built on site of the old one.
"Funds to build it were raised by public subscription and donations from the guildry.
"The building provided accommodation for the town council, plus a courtroom, prison and a fine Guild Hall for social events, this building to date now known as Brechin Museum. It has displays highlighting the history of the 10th century through to the present day.
"The building to the right of the museum once belonged to Provost John Smith; his wife was reputedly the first woman in Brechin to own a tea kettle.
"Latterly the house became the premises of the Brechin Baking Company and subsequently Belford's Bakery and later Gellatlys. It is now known as the Bakehouse Coffee Shop, maintaining the connection with baking, dating back 150 years.
"The tower shown in the background is the Mechanics Hall. The Mechanic's Institute was intended to rehouse Brechin's burgh, parish and grammar schools in a suitable modern building.
"It was designed by John Henderson of Edinburgh, who had been born in Brechin and was the son of the Earl of Dalhousie's gardener.
"The foundation stone was laid on June 28, 1838, the day of Queen Victoria's coronation and the building was regarded as a great ornament to the west end of the town.
"It has served a number of other purposes over the years, including providing a reading room, a war time billet for soldiers, an artist's studio for David Waterson, an art gallery and a home for the Brechin Guildry."
Stephanie concluded: "To create my image I used materials such as water colours, ink and pencil. I used the water colours to give a soft background and the ink to put in detail and used the pencil to give a rough brick look to the image. The only colour I used was black to show how old the image is."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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