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SCOTTISH illustrator Johanna Basford will create the first sculpture for Clan Cancer Support’s 2025 art trail, with the charity now inviting artists to join her and submit their designs for the project.
Johanna, who is originally from Auchnagatt in Aberdeenshire, has sold more than 25 million adult colouring books worldwide and received an OBE for services to art and entrepreneurship.
She has volunteered to design the first of the BookBench sculptures due to be publicly exhibited across the north-east, Moray, Orkney and Shetland in Clan’s The BookBench Trail next summer with her artwork due to be unveiled in the new year.
Artists are now able to put forward their own designs for consideration for the trail with applications open until December 6.
All of the sculptures will be sold at auction following the project with all proceeds going to Clan Cancer Support.
Johanna said: “It’s a huge honour to be part of The BookBench Trail, bringing a little fun and creativity to the north-east, Moray, Orkney and Shetland next summer whilst supporting a wonderful charity like Clan.”
Artists can now download The BookBench Trail Artist Pack for information on how to apply and a template of the fibreglass sculptures which they can modify. Artists can each enter a total of two designs.
The shortlisted entries will be presented to event sponsors early next year with the chosen artists then given time to work on their sculpture before it is displayed to the public when the trail goes live in July 2025.
Lee-Ann Stewart, Clan’s sculpture trail project manager, said: “We are so excited to reveal Johanna as the first artist to be featured in next year’s trail and would like to thank her for her commitment to the project.
“While Johanna’s work has international appeal, we believe her affinity to the communities in which Clan supports and her commitment to boosting mental wellbeing make her the perfect artist to launch our design process and we cannot wait to see her creation next year.”
Johanna studied at the Duncan of Jordanston College of Art in Dundee where she graduated with a first-class honours degree in Printed Textiles in 2005. She is known for her distinctive hand drawn motifs in her signature black and white palette.
Johanna has created work for a variety of clients including DKNY, Heals and The Crafts Council at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Clan has also enlisted the support of Aberdeen artist Fiona Chance as the trail’s art consultant who will engage and support artists throughout their design application and beyond.
Fiona has vast experience in creating her own designs for sculpture trails including Clan’s Light the North (2021) and The Big Hop Trail (2023).
Clan launched The BookBench Trail, in partnership with Wild in Art, earlier this year with headline sponsors Bilfinger and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics confirmed shortly after.
Clan chose the BookBench sculpture, which depicts an open book, because of its lifeline listening support service which enables anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis to open up and tell their story.
The charity hopes the sculpture, which is 1.4 metres wide and can seat two adults, will encourage people to take time to reflect on their wellbeing as they enjoy discovering artwork on the trail when it’s live from July – September next year.
An education programme for local schools – which includes a miniature BookBench sculpture for pupils to design – is also due to be unveiled.
For more information about The BookBench Trail and to download an artist pack, please visit: https://www.clancancersupport.org/the-book-bench-trail/
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