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First Minister's Christmas card
08/12/2008
The 2008 Christmas Card from First Minister Alex Salmond celebrates the forthcoming Year of Homecoming and will raise funds for four key Scottish charities.
Renowned artist John Bellany has donated his canvas of Macduff harbour especially for this year's Homecoming Christmas Card which was unveiled at a special reception at Duff House in Banff today.
The FM was joined by the painter's son, Paul Bellany, representatives from the named charities; Aberdeen Cyrenians, Islamic Relief, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution; schoolchildren from MacDuff Primary School and the local lifeboat crew with entertainment by provided by Sandi Thom.
Mr Salmond said:
"The wonderful piece of art donated by John Bellany for this year's Homecoming Christmas Card can be enjoyed by everyone in Scotland.
"The painting which will be displayed first in Duff House and then in the Dean Gallery before being auctioned later next year, with all proceeds going to the four charities who will be this year's beneficiaries.
"The Bellany image of fishing boats returning to Macduff harbour is ideal for taking us into the Homecoming year.
"I thank John Bellany for this beautiful painting which will benefit the work of the Cyrenians, SCIAF, the RNLI, and Islamic Relief. And of course, I wish seasons greeting to everyone in Scotland and our extended Scottish family around the world who we look forward to welcoming in 2009."
John Bellany said:
"My heart started to beat faster when walking round the harbour in Macduff, when I saw the 'Margaret Jane', the scarlet boat home from the sea. The painting I saw in my mind immediately as 'Death of a Warrior' or 'The Homecoming'.
"I believe it was "The Homecoming" as she still had her numbers on her sides - what joy I felt. Macduff is one of my favourite places in Scotland. It was also the fishing town where my mother-in-law grew up. She lived the same kind of life as my grandparents and parents in Eyemouth and Port Seton.
"Every boat played a huge part in the economy and the lives of the community, it was the focus and pride of the whole family imbued with a profound spiritual love.
"Beauty is another virtue the boat takes on and the 'Margaret Jane' is cetainly a lovely boat. At the back of my mind when executing this painting was the masterpiece of Vermeer ' A View of Delft'.
"I am delighted that the First Minister has chosen this image for the Christmas card and hope it gives as much pleasure as it gave me to paint it."
SCIAF's Chief Executive Paul Chitnis said:
"We greatly appreciate the opportunity which the First Minister's Christmas card initiative provides to SCIAF and several other charities this year.
"As Scotland's leading international aid and development agency, SCIAF is helping tens of thousands of some of the poorest people in the world. Whether it's delivering emergency aid to families made homeless by fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing practical, long-term assistance to poor women farmers in Cambodia or campaigning on the causes of poverty, SCIAF is proud to be a part of Scotland's outreach to the wider world.
"The proceeds from John Bellany's impressive painting will help SCIAF to continue supporting people work their way out of poverty and towards a brighter future."
Isla Dewar, Fundraising and Communications Manager for the RNLI in Scotland, said:
"We are delighted to have been chosen as one of four charities to benefit from the First Minister's Christmas Card. The theme is very apt to us as there is no better sight than the safe homecoming of a lifeboat and rescuees.
"Today people from 45 Scottish communities, including Macduff, volunteer to crew their local lifeboat, following a tradition which has lasted 150 years since the first Scottish RNLI lifeboat arrived in Fraserburgh. The money raised through the auction will help the RNLI provide vital training and equipment to its brave volunteer lifeboat crew. As a charity which relies on public donations, we would like to thank the First Minister for his support which is very much appreciated."
Paul Hannan, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Cyrenians, said:
"We are delighted that the First Minister's Christmas card will help the Cyrenians provide much needed support for homeless people in the northeast of Scotland.
"The need for a place to call your own and to establish roots in the community are major priorities for homeless people and any support that can help with this resettlement is very much appreciated."
Tahira Sabri of Islamic Relief said:
"We are very thankful to the First Minister for selecting Islamic Relief as one of his chosen charities. May Allah swt reward him for his generosity. it is a time of giving, for Islamic Relief our aim is always to try and give to our less fortunate. thank you once again for choosing us."
The Homecoming painting will join other works by John Bellany as part of the Four Scottish Painters display at the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh.
John Bellany is one of around 50 leading contemporary artists who will contribute works to 'Inspired', a major exhibition at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow next year. Each of the works will be based on the life or the work of Robert Burns and will show how he still influences and informs artists, including Tracey Emin and Peter Howson. Alongside contemporary works, several Burns relics will also go on display when the exhibition opens on April 4.