HEATHER Dewar is a woman of many talents – artist, cook and gardener, to name just a few – but possibly her greatest gift of all is her ability to chat with people and encourage them to open up and tell her all about themselves.
In the fourth series of BBC ALBA’s Dealbhan Fraoich, Islay-born Heather (78), who still lives on the island, combines the role of artist and interviewer as she creates colour portraits of well-known Gaels while teasing out of them every little detail of their life story.
From the former army officer to the actress, fisherman and teacher, Heather’s natural interest in other people and their lives helps her to capture their true personality on paper.
Heather’s had a passion for portrait drawing from a young age and since she began studying at Edinburgh College of Art aged 16, she has drawn hundreds of portraits.
She still relishes the challenge of capturing someone’s likeness each time.
Armed with easel, charcoal, paper and pencil, Heather embarks on a tour of the country, drawing the fascinating and engaging people who have agreed to ‘sit’ for her.
Heather said: “As an artist living on Islay there’s plenty to inspire my creativity. However, as much as I enjoy being out in the fresh air, drawing my favourite landscapes, I’m much more excited by people.
“I spend much of my life trying to create a perfect portrait one that captures the character as well as the appearance.”
In the first programme, on Tuesday, May 12, Heather meets Murdo Macdonald. Although now living in the town of Penicuik in Midlothian, Murdo has family connections to both Scalpay and North Uist.
As Heather puts crayon to paper, she talks to Murdo about his fascinating life, which has involved much travel and adventure. From backpacking around the south of France to factor on an island estate and army officer in Iraq, Murdo’s career has been wide and varied. She is keen to reveal Murdo’s spirit of adventure in her portrait of him.
Heather travels to Point in Lewis for the second programme where she meets Maggie Mackenzie who will be known to many as the actress who played Fiona Macaskill in the long-running soap Machair. While her real life may not be as scandalous as that of her character, it has certainly been just as interesting.
She meets former fisherman and ferryman, Ewen Mackenzie, in Applecross in the third programme and discovers that few people know the peninsula more thoroughly.
Although now retired, Ewen remains a busy man, heavily involved in his local church. Heather met Ewen once before and has longed to draw his portrait ever since. Now’s her chance!
Her ‘subject’ is Rachel MacPherson, a former teacher and lecturer, in programme four when she travels to Bishopbriggs. Rachel MacPherson has played an integral role in the development of Gaelic Medium Education in Glasgow.
Heather travels to the village of Lower Shader in Lewis where her ‘subject’ is Tarmod Macleod in programme five. A hugely popular figure on the island, the poet recorded with warmth and wit some of the key events and characters in this area of Lewis.
She meets singer and step-dancer, Joy Dunlop, in Glasgow in programme six. Joy’s passion for music developed into an enthusiasm for the Gaelic language and culture that produced many of her favourite songs. Since learning the language she’s worked tirelessly to encourage its use in everyday life.
Heather travels to Edinburgh in programme seven where she meets Iagan MacNeil who has forged a successful career in the media – as journalist, newsreader and more recently in public relations. Despite having spent much of his life in the city, he remains as proud as ever of his roots in the islands, and more specifically Barra.
And in programme eight Heather travels to Gairloch in Wester Ross where her ‘subject’ is former teacher Alice Mackenzie. Her voice is known to many in the area as the presenter of their weekly Gaelic programme on the local Two Lochs radio station.
The fourth series of Dealbhan Fraoich begins on Tuesday, May 12, on BBC ALBA at 8.30pm and each episode is on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days after it airs.
Neach-Ealain Fraoch Nic an Deòir a’ togail air Sgeulachdan Beatha Ghàidheal Aithnichte
’S iomadh sgil a th’ aig Fraoch Nic an Deòir – ealain, còcaireachd agus gàrraidheachd nam measg. Tha na tàlantan aice farsaing, ach thar chàch tha a sgil air daoine a thàladh gu còmhradh is seanchas.
Anns a’ cheathramh sreath de “Dealbhan Fraoich” air BBC ALBA, bidh Fraoch (78), a bhuineas do dh’Ìle ’s i an còmhnaidh air an eilean fhathast, an dà chuid ri ealain agus ri ceasnachadh fhad ’s a tharraingeas i dealbhan dathte de Ghàidheil aithnichte, is aig a’ cheart àm a’ tarraing an eachdraidh-beatha asta.
Bho fhear a bha na oifigear san airm, gu bana-chleasaiche, iasgair agus tidsear, tha Fraoch a’ togail an cuid nàdar is pearsa ann an còmhradh agus cuideachd air pàipear.
Tha ùidh mhòr air a bhith aig Fraoch mu bhith a’ glacadh samhail neach air pàipear on a bha i òg, agus an dèidh dhi a cuid eòlais a leasachadh aig Colaiste Ealain Dhùn Èideann aig aois 16, tha i air na ceudan de dhealbhan dhaoine a dhèanamh. ’S e tlachd mhòr a th’ ann dhi a h-uile turas fhathast, ìomhaigh chuideigin a ghlacadh ann an dealbh.
Le tacas, gual-fhiodha, pàipear agus peansail, siubhalaidh Fraoch thall ’s a-bhos, a’ dèanamh dheilbh de na daoine inntinneach is còir a dh’aontaich “suidhe” airson dealbh.
Mar a thuirt Fraoch fhèin: “Mar tè-ealain a’ fantail ann an Ìle, tha gu leòr mun cuairt orm a dhùisgeas gnìomhan cruthachail. Ach – mòr ’s gur toigh leam a bhith a-muigh air a’ chnoc, a’ dèanamh dhealbhan de na seallaidhean as fheàrr leam, tha barrachd ùidh agam ann an daoine.
“Tha mi a’ caitheamh cuid mhath de mo bheatha a’ feuchainn ri dealbh neach a dhèanamh cho math ’s as urrainn dhomh, feuch am bi an caractar cho soilleir rin coltas.”
Anns a’ chiad phrògram, Dimàirt 12mh Cèitean, coinnichidh Fraoch le Murchadh Dòmhnallach. Ged a tha e a’ fuireach ann an Ceann na Cuthaige ann am Meadhan Lodainn, tha ceangal aige ri Scalpaigh agus Uibhist a Tuath.
Thèid Fraoch an sàs san dealbh, a’ faighneachd do Mhurchadh mu a bheatha inntinneach, làn siubhail agus tachartasan neo-àbhaisteach; Gabhail timcheall na Frainge le pac air a dhruim, greis na bhàillidh air oighreachd sna h-eileanan, agus na oifigear airm ann an Ioràc – abair gum faca Murchadh seallaidhean annasach. Tha Fraoch ag iarraidh gun seall an dealbh cho èasgaidh ’s a bha e rudan ùra fheuchainn.
Nì Fraoch a slighe dhan Rubha ann an Leòdhas anns an dàrna prògram, gus coinneachadh ri Magaidh NicChoinnich. B’ ise a’ bhana-chleasaiche air an robh mòran eòlach nuair a bha i a’ cluich Fiona NicAsgaill anns an t-sreath telebhisean Machair. Ged nach robh a beatha fhèin faisg cho làn sgainneal ri saoghal a caractair, bha i dha-rìribh a cheart cho inntinneach.
Coinnichidh i le Eòghain MacCoinnich anns a’ Chomhraich anns an treasamh prògram, a bha na iasgair agus cuideachd greis ag aiseag – chan eil mòran a tha cho eòlach air cladaichean na sgìre. Ged a tha e air a dhreuchd a leigeil dheth, tha Eòghain gu math trang, gu h-àraidh timcheall na h-eaglaise. Thachair Fraoch air aon turas roimhe agus on uair sin bha i a’ miannachadh a dhealbh a dhèanamh – a-nis tha
cothrom aice!
Ann am prògram a ceithir, siubhalaidh Fraoch gu Drochaid an Easbaig far an dèan i dealbh de Raghnaid Nic a’ Phearsain. Bha ise roimhe na tidsear agus na h-òraidiche, agus bha buaidh làidir aice air leasachadh Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig ann an Glaschu.
’S ann gu Siadar ann an Eilean Leòdhais a tha Fraoch a’ siubhal a choinneachadh ri Tarmod MacLeòid ann am prògram còig. Tha mòran measail air Tarmod air sgàth a bhàrdachd – ’s iomadh tachartas is caractaran na coimhearsnachd a chlàr e le duan eirmseach is ceathramh blàth.
Ann am prògram sia tachraidh Fraoch air deagh sheinneadair a tha cuideachd math air dannsa ceum, Joy Dunlop. ’S e cho dèidheil ’s a tha Joy air seinn a tharraing i gu ùidh anns a’ Ghàidhlig agus sa chultar às an tàinig na h-òrain a bha a’ còrdadh cho math rithe. On a dh’ionnsaich i a’ chànan, tha i air a bhith a’ saothrachadh gu làidir gus a bhrosnachadh nar beatha làitheil.
Tha Fraoch a’ falbh air ais a Dhùn Èideann anns an t-seachdamh prògram agus a’ seanchas ri Iagan MacNèill mu a shaoghal shoirbheachail sna meadhanan – na fhear-naidheachd, chraoladair naidheachdan, agus o chionn ghoirid bha e an sàs ann am margaidheachd is dàimhean poblach.
Ged a chuir e seachad cuid mhòr de bheatha sa bhaile mhòr, tha e cho moiteil ’s a bha e a-riamh gu bheil freumhan aige sna h-eileanan, agus ann am Barraigh gu h-àraidh.
Agus ann am prògram ochd nì Fraoch a slighe gu Geàrrloch air taobh siar Rois, far a bheil i a’ cur roimhpe dealbh a dhèanamh de dh’Alice NicChoinnich, a bha roimhe a’ teagasg san sgìre. Tha clann na sgoile air fàs suas ach tha iad a cheart cho eòlach air a guth an-diugh, is i a’ toirt thuca prògram rèidio Gàidhlig uair san t-seachdain air stèisean rèidio an Dà Locha.
Tòisichidh sreath ceithir de Dealbhan Fraoich Dimàirt 12 Cèitean air BBC ALBA aig 8.30f agus bidh a h-uile prògram ri fhaicinn air iPlayer a’ BhBC fad 30 làithean an dèidh an craoladh.
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