Late Kingussie art teacher's works to be sold to benefit school
A retrospective exhibition of work by a late Kingussie art teacher is now on show in the town with his former school benefitting from the proceeds.
David Douglas’ death nearly two years ago shocked everyone connected with Kingussie High School and the wider community.
Mr Douglas passed away only a few days after officially retiring from the post.
He had just returned from leading a contingent of 10 pupils from the school and Grantown Grammar School on an 18-day trip to China in July 2017 when he suffered a stroke.
The 56-year-old’s condition deteriorated several days later while he was being cared for in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and he never recovered.
And now his widow Sandra has brought the art teacher’s work together for an exhibition combining Mr Douglas’ passions.
All proceeds from sales at the Iona Gallery in Kingussie will help fund onward studies in art for talented Kingussie pupils wanting to head down that road.
Sandra said: “The exhibition came about following the funeral when many of Davie’s friends wondered about his artwork and would it ever be exhibited again.
“Also many local people had never seen Davie’s work because although there were several pieces in our house he would not have drawn attention to them.
“On looking through his work I decided that to make it easier to exhibit his work it would need to be less about the past and more about the future so KHS pupils who wish to continue in art will benefit.
“I know this is something he would have approved of, so although I could hear his self-critical comments I know he would be happy with this legacy.
“Bringing the exhibition together has been cathartic, and I have receiving help too from Jane Wallace (retired art teacher KHS) and Marcel O’Conner, a friend and art teacher from Fife.”
Mr Douglas won several prestigious awards for his work in his earlier career as a freelance artist including the Andrew Grant Travelling Scholarship to Paris.
He had been principal teacher of art at the Kingussie school since 1995 and before that at Ullapool High School.
The David Douglas Senior Prize for Photography was handed out for the first time at the school’s annual prizegiving a year ago.
The retrospective art exhibition of David Douglas’ work opened yesterday and is running at the Iona Gallery in Kingussie until June 30 from 10am to 5pm daily.
