Really surreal work from Kingussie High’s talented artists

“ALL our own work” was understating the achievement of five outstanding Kingussie High School pupils last week.

It wasn’t just the artworks they created but the show itself, from start to finish.

The three-day event at Kingussie’s Iona Gallery was the culmination of eight months’ work, in line with the ongoing portfolios of the advanced higher art and design students.

Art teacher Neda Gaffer was hugely impressed by their triumph, telling the Strathy: “They were fantastic and they deserve so much praise.

“It is so hard, keeping that motivation going all year, pushing yourself to continue with a prescribed theme.

“ It takes such a lot of time, there’s so much work out of school time that goes into a collection like theirs.

“They all took it on brilliantly, I mean to create such beautiful work – looking at their age as well, to come up with such mature work at just 17.”

The sixth-year students took their audience through “From realism to surrealism” with genuine authority in a show they put together themselves.

It came complete with refreshments at the launch and a mood-setting musical inroduction courtesy of music student Rebecca Dargie and music teacher Lucy Hodes.

It was something of a coup for the artists, who branched out of the school premises by organising their own gig at the Iona on the town’s Duke Street.

It would seem they have started something, with next year’s collection due to move ‘out of school’ too with a return to the popular Iona Gallery facilities.

Again, all the credit for last week’s stunning exhibition must go to the gifted artists themselves, with all good wishes for their academic futures.

They were Cameron Inglis, Charlotte Fraser, Gabi Nagle, Jemima Benbow and Struan Bruce.

A very successful and busy opening night for the Advanced Higher Art & Design exhibition at the Iona Gallery. Thanks to Rebecca Dargie and Miss Hodes for providing some musical accompaniment to the creative showcase. Exhibition is open today and tomorrow 12-4.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.