A SCOTTISH artist whose paintings are inspired by exploring abandoned buildings has been named as the winner of a notable art prize.

Samantha Cheevers, 23, from Port Glasgow, is the winner of the Glenfiddich Residency Award, worth £10,000.

The winner is chosen from among the artists in the RSA New Contemporaries exhibition, a showcase of emerging artists selected from the students who graduated from Scotland’s five art colleges in 2018.

The Glenfiddich selection panel was "impressed by the skill and inventiveness of Samantha’s work, which uses elements of ruined and disused buildings to create colourful, surreal paintings."

She will now join national and international contemporary artists on the prestigious Glenfiddich Artists in Residency (AiR) programme at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Morayshire, this summer.

Andy Fairgrieve, co-ordinator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme, said: “We are delighted to be inviting Samantha to join the Glenfiddich residency this summer. The selection panel felt that she has developed a very strong signature style in her eye-catching paintings which capture the texture and atmosphere of the adandoned buildings that inspire her.

"There are a number of ruined and tumble-down buildings in the area surrounding the Glenfiddich distillery and I am sure her explorations will result in a fresh wealth of inspiration for her.

"This is the fifth year we have had the privilege of bringing an artist from the RSA New Contemporaries exhibition and the quality of work on display seems to improve every year, which is a testament to the talent coming out of the five Scottish art schools."

Ms Cheevers did an HNC in Art and Design at City of Glasgow College, then a degree in painting at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen.

In 2018, she was the recipient of an Aberdeen Arts Centre Graduate Award.

www.glenfiddich.com

THE artist Annie Lord has transformed a small portion of the River Almond into an artwork that highlights the impact of rubbish on rivers.

Unveiled at Almondell and Calderwood Country Park River Series: Almond has been created by the artrist using everything from Tennent’s cans, wet wipes and more to create a piece encased in resin.

RiverRubbish is part of the RiverLife Project - a four year plan to "reconnect communities along the River Almond and River Avon with their rivers", the first project of its kind in Scotland.

Ms Lord said; “Like many people I was completely unaware of the extent to which rivers are being filled with wet wipes and other rubbish.

"Seeing the volume collected in such a small area really brought the message home.

"Working with the intrepid volunteers from local angling groups and Friends of the Country Park we used some of the ‘best’ items to draw awareness to the fact that what people mistakenly flush they can meet again later on their walk."

www.river-life.org.uk

A DIGITAL art exhibit that celebrates the lives and achievements of one hundred women across the country has gone on display at the Scottish Parliament.

Part of the Scottish Parliament’s 20th anniversary, the free exhibit is a digital touchscreen-based interpretation of the sculpture called Travelling the Distance by Glasgow-based artist Shauna McMullan.

The sculpture, which was originally unveiled at the Scottish Parliament in 2006 to celebrate women’s contribution to society, is a collection of 100 sentences written by women from across Scotland.

The new digital exhibit reveals the stories behind the artwork, by using photography and videos of ten of the women reading out their sentences and talking about their tributes.

As well as nurses, teachers, activists, writers and artists, the exhibit highlights historically-significant women.

It includes Dr Elsie Inglis, who founded the Scottish Women's Hospitals and championed the treatment of women, Mary Queen of Scots and Marianne Grant, an artist who painted what she witnessed at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

Ms McMullan said: "It’s a real privilege that the Parliament is taking a fresh look at the sculpture, and I think that any opportunity to talk about the contributions women have made to history and culture is really important.

"The new digital exhibit is exciting because it captures the story and journey behind the sculpture. By listening to each of the women reading out their tributes, you pick up on the subtle humour, sadness and the great admiration in their words."

www.parliament.scot