Scottish icon and comic favourite, Oor Wullie has joined Scotland’s national tourism organisation in promoting the country’s spirit to the world.
VisitScotland worked with Scottish artist Vanessa Gibson to create a ‘ScotSpirit Wullie’ which, alongside nine other Oor Wullie sculptures, makes its first stop in Aberdeen this week as part of the Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail tour.
Using a variety of media including acrylic paint and fine nib markers, Vanessa has transformed the blank Oor Wullie statue into a fusion of colour and black and white, representing the Spirit of Scotland and the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
ScotSpirit Wullie features the Seven Spirits of Scotland in colourful writing including Soul (across his chest), Humour (across his bottom), Guts (across his stomach), Determination (up his right side), Fun (elbow) Spark (face) and Warmth (down his left side).
Black and white features include 25 small drawings to celebrate Scotland’s pioneering spirit in the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design including: The Hill House, incandescent light bulb, toaster, first boat propeller, first postage stamp, first colour photo, Scottish Parliament, Forth Bridge, Tarmac, first waterproof ‘Mackintosh’ coat, the Enchanted Forest, absolute zero, Harris Tweed, Kelburn Castle, first flushing toilet, SSE Hydro, telephone, first pedal bicycle, grand piano, MRI scanner, ATM, criminal fingerprinting, vacuum flask, Watt’s steam engine and the kaleidoscope.
Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail is a major public arts event that will see the streets of Dundee and beyond come to life with a spectacle of colour of 50 giant Oor Wullie sculptures in summer 2016.
The project, a collaboration between The ARCHIE Foundation, DC Thomson and Wild in Art, will capture the hearts and minds of the public and encourage us all to become ‘tourists in our own city’ and attract visitors from all over.
The Oor Wullie sculptures are beautifully decorated by local and national artists as well as household names from the worlds of film, music, art, animation and fashion. From small local companies to national corporations, a whole host of businesses and individuals have taken the opportunity to sponsor a sculpture that will then be on show for 10 weeks before taking the sculptures to auction to help raise funds for The ARCHIE Foundation’s Tayside Appeal to create a twin theatre suite for the children’s hospital.
Jo Robinson, VisitScotland Regional Partnership, said:
“With his cheeky smile and sense of determination and fun, Oor Wullie is the perfect embodiment of the Scottish spirit and I could not think of a better person to showcase this to the world! We are excited to welcome ScotSpirit Wullie to Aberdeen this week and have no doubt he will be a major draw in the city and across Scotland as he continues his tour.
“From textiles to technology, architecture to fashion and design, the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is shining the spotlight on our greatest assets and icons, as well as our hidden gems and we would encourage everyone to discover more about Scotland this summer.”
Vanessa Gibson is an environmental artist who was born in Fife. She graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design with a BDES (hons) Interior Environmental Design in 2001. She works as a teacher of Art and Design at Auchmuty High School in Glenrothes. Vanessa also works out of her studio based in Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline. Her work is inspired by text, poetry and song lyrics. She specialises in transforming old/unwanted things and giving them a new lease of life and meaning using a wide variety of media.
Vanessa said:
“I was thrilled to be shortlisted as an artist for Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail and beyond delighted to be commissioned by VisitScotland to design and decorate ScotSpirit Wullie.
“Wullie’s innovative ideas and inventions have inspired me from a young age to be creative with the things around me. Wullie himself personifies the Seven Spirits of Scotland as well as embodying the concepts of Innovation, Architecture and Design, all of which we are celebrating in our nation this year.
“It has been very inspiring for me to be able to promote and celebrate the work of some of Scotland’s finest creative people through this project, whilst contributing to The ARCHIE Foundation's cause.”
Neil Cooney, project manager of Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail, said:
“We are delighted that VisitScotland has joined Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail, a public art event which is set to capture the public’s imagination in Dundee and the surrounding area this summer.
“As part of The ARCHIE Foundation’s Tayside Appeal to raise two million pounds to help create a brand new twin-operating theatre surgical suite for the Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells, the Bucket Trail will culminate in a special auction in September where each sculpture will be auctioned off, all to raise money for the appeal.
“We hope many people, locally and further afield, will come to Dundee this summer to join in the fun and explore Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail.”
Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail launched on Monday 27 June 2016. For more information visit www.oorwulliebuckettrail.com
To download a copy of the Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail map click here.
Oor Wuillie’s Bucket Trail maps are also available at the VisitScotland Aberdeen iCentre, 23 Union Street, Aberdeen and VisitScotland Dundee iCentre, City Square, Dundee.
The ‘ScotSpirit Wullie’ is part of the national tourism organisation’s Spirit of Scotland campaign, launched in February 2016. The global campaign is built on extensive research which shows that people think Scotland has a unique spirit– whether it’s the magic of the landscapes or the warmth of the people. Everyone who has shared their #ScotSpirit will become part of a special social movement. To find our more, visit: www.visitscotland.com/scotspirit