Rescue volunteer wins £10,000 for Rest and Be Thankful landslide picture
Mick McGraw, from Helensburgh, won the Lapeca Scottish Landscape Awards 2025 for the piece, titled 'Glen Croe landslide, August 31, 2020'.
The winning photograph was taken from the slopes of Ben Donich five years ago, as around 6,000 tonnes of debris moved across the hill above the A83 and Old Military Road at multiple locations.
Car-sized boulders rolled onto the carriageway after 100mm of rain hit the Argyll hills.
Mick, a member of the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team, is also a programme leader for the Master of Letters in Fine Art Practice programme at Glasgow School of Art. scottishartstrust via Supplied Mick is a member of the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team.
In addition to receiving a first-prize award of £10,000, Mick will receive a specially commissioned sculpture by Lorna Fraser, winner of the Scottish Landscape Sculpture Award 2023.
'Landscape for me is layered with history, politics and human intervention,' he said.
'Glen Croe is not just a scenic view but a place where engineering solutions and natural forces collide, shaping how we navigate the familiar terrain.
'Winning this award encourages me to keep exploring these fragile intersections and to document how our attempts to control the landscape become part of its evolving story.'
The judging panel for the awards included influential art-world figures David Mach RA HRSA, Lennox Dunbar RSA, Annie Cattrell RSA, Jessica Harrison RSA, and Rachel Maclean RSA.
The winning piece is one of 107 artworks selected from over 2,100 entries currently on display at Kirkcudbright Galleries.
Baldvin Ringsted, from Glasgow, was the recipient of the second place prize and £5,000 donated by the Robert Haldane Smith Foundation, for his meticulously stitched collage titled 'Deluge'. scottishartstrust via Supplied Baldvin Ringsted finished in second place for 'Deluge'.
He said: 'My practice relies on craftsmanship and a skilled level of fabrication. I have always been interested in found objects and how our communal memory 'embeds' meaning into everyday objects and images.
'I believe my work has a lot in common with classic landscape painting, how it evokes memories and a sense of familiarity, even though the landscape is from an unknown place.'
Martin Rek, from Edinburgh, collected third prize for his work titled 'Stillness, Glencoe' and took home a £1,000 donation by the McLean family.
The Scottish Landscape Awards exhibition is free to visit and opens at Kirkcudbright Galleries from July 5 and runs until September 28, 2025.
Chair of Dumfries and Galloway council's communities committee, Tracey Little said: 'The Scottish Landscape Awards 2025 celebrates the powerful connection between place and creativity – honouring artists who capture the spirit of extraordinary landscapes.
'We are delighted that the partnership between Dumfries & Galloway Council and The Scottish Arts Trust has brought this significant exhibition to our region.'
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
12 hours ago
- STV News
Asylum seeker lands place at art school thanks to 'emotional' photography project
A Russian asylum seeker has landed a place at Glasgow School of Art after creating an 'emotional' college project inspired by being separated from his family. Ruslan Popov Karhunvatukka, originally from Tomsk in Siberia, came to the UK in 2021 after his family sought asylum for political reasons. The 21-year-old was finally reunited with his sister and aunt in Armenia in late 2024, a moment which inspired the project – titled Vaguely Familiar. He developed the project while studying photography at Glasgow Kelvin College. It was exhibited at the end-of-year show, helping him secure direct entry into the third year of the Communication Design degree at GSA. Ruslan said his work captures the 'emotional impact of long-term separation'. 'I hadn't seen parts of my family in three years. When we finally met again, it wasn't something I planned to photograph, but the moments just happened. That emotional experience became a visual one; it became the project,' he added. He credits Glasgow Kelvin College with helping him turn photography from a personal interest into a real path forward. 'Photography was already part of my life, but studying at Glasgow Kelvin College gave me the tools to take it seriously. It gave me time, structure, feedback and belief. That's what college can do,' he added. His final project, Vaguely Familiar, was intentionally abstract, avoiding captions or personal backstory, speaking to the universal experience of family, distance and connection. Ruslan said: 'I didn't want to make it too literal. Everyone has their own idea of what family means. This way, the images could be understood by anyone.' He also credited his lecturer, Simon Murphy, for encouraging him to publish his work. 'Simon believed in us and took time to understand our ideas. He pushed us to submit work to exhibitions and magazines. That's how I ended up published in Docu Magazine. Without that encouragement, I wouldn't have done it,' he added. Ruslan will start his degree at the Glasgow School of Art in September, but also plans to continue developing Vaguely Familiar as a project. Ruslan said, 'Opportunity is a green light to keep on dreaming. When I got my offer from GSA, it felt like I could finally start expecting something from myself. It gave me confidence. 'Studying communication design will give me more tools. Photography will always be at the heart of what I do, but I want to understand other ways to tell stories too,' he added. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
14 hours ago
- The National
Russian asylum seeker earns spot at Glasgow School of Art
Ruslan Popov Karhunvatukka, from Russia, earned direct entry into the third year of the communication design degree at the Glasgow School of Art after studying photography at Glasgow Kelvin College. His graduate project, Vaguely Familiar, was inspired by three years of family separation and explores themes of distance, reunion and connection through photography. The work captures the emotional impact of long-term separation and was produced after reuniting with his sister and aunt in Armenia in late 2024. READ MORE: University releases statement after rector launches legal action amid Gaza row Ruslan said: 'I hadn't seen parts of my family in three years. 'When we finally met again, it wasn't something I planned to photograph, but the moments just happened. 'That emotional experience became a visual one, it became the project.' His journey is being highlighted by Glasgow Kelvin College as part of National Opportunity Day, an awareness campaign on August 6 that aims to showcase the value of college education. Originally from Tomsk in Siberia and later Sochi, Ruslan and his family sought asylum in the UK for political reasons, first arriving in London during the Covid-19 pandemic before relocating to Glasgow. Despite the difficulties of the immigration process, he said he now feels settled and proud to call Glasgow his home. He credits Glasgow Kelvin College with helping him turn a personal interest into a professional pathway. (Image: Newsquest) Ruslan said: 'Photography was already part of my life, but studying at Glasgow Kelvin College gave me the tools to take it seriously. 'It gave me time, structure, feedback and belief. 'That's what college can do.' Ruslan chose Glasgow Kelvin College specifically for its small class sizes and personal support, and singled out lecturer Simon Murphy as a major influence in his work. He said: 'Simon believed in us and took time to understand our ideas. 'He pushed us to submit work to exhibitions and magazines. 'That's how I ended up published in Docu Magazine. 'Without that encouragement, I wouldn't have done it.' In September, Ruslan will begin his degree at the Glasgow School of Art, where he will expand his practice to include design, illustration and video. He plans to continue developing Vaguely Familiar and is already working on a new project about society's changing relationship with photography in the digital age. Ruslan said: 'Opportunity is a green light to keep on dreaming. 'When I got my offer from GSA, it felt like I could finally start expecting something from myself. 'It gave me confidence. 'Studying communication design will give me more tools. 'Photography will always be at the heart of what I do, but I want to understand other ways to tell stories too.' To view Ruslan's latest projects, visit @rusikpix on Instagram.
Glasgow Times
14 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Russian asylum seeker earns spot at Glasgow School of Art
Ruslan Popov Karhunvatukka, from Russia, earned direct entry into the third year of the communication design degree at the Glasgow School of Art after studying photography at Glasgow Kelvin College. His graduate project, Vaguely Familiar, was inspired by three years of family separation and explores themes of distance, reunion and connection through photography. Read more: 13 photos which tell story of Glasgow school and its starry ex-pupils The work captures the emotional impact of long-term separation and was produced after reuniting with his sister and aunt in Armenia in late 2024. Ruslan said: 'I hadn't seen parts of my family in three years. 'When we finally met again, it wasn't something I planned to photograph, but the moments just happened. 'That emotional experience became a visual one, it became the project.' His journey is being highlighted by Glasgow Kelvin College as part of National Opportunity Day, an awareness campaign on August 6 that aims to showcase the value of college education. Originally from Tomsk in Siberia and later Sochi, Ruslan and his family sought asylum in the UK for political reasons, first arriving in London during the Covid-19 pandemic before relocating to Glasgow. Despite the difficulties of the immigration process, he said he now feels settled and proud to call Glasgow his home. He credits Glasgow Kelvin College with helping him turn a personal interest into a professional pathway. Ruslan said: 'Photography was already part of my life, but studying at Glasgow Kelvin College gave me the tools to take it seriously. 'It gave me time, structure, feedback and belief. 'That's what college can do.' Ruslan chose Glasgow Kelvin College specifically for its small class sizes and personal support, and singled out lecturer Simon Murphy as a major influence in his work. He said: 'Simon believed in us and took time to understand our ideas. 'He pushed us to submit work to exhibitions and magazines. 'That's how I ended up published in Docu Magazine. 'Without that encouragement, I wouldn't have done it.' Read more: Award-winning Glasgow filmmaker visits Maryhill project to help budding writers This September, Ruslan will begin his degree at the Glasgow School of Art, where he will expand his practice to include design, illustration and video. He plans to continue developing Vaguely Familiar and is already working on a new project about society's changing relationship with photography in the digital age. Ruslan said: 'Opportunity is a green light to keep on dreaming. 'When I got my offer from GSA, it felt like I could finally start expecting something from myself. 'It gave me confidence. 'Studying communication design will give me more tools. 'Photography will always be at the heart of what I do, but I want to understand other ways to tell stories too.' To view Ruslan's latest projects, visit @rusikpix on Instagram.
