SCOTTISH ARTIST PAINTS ROOTS OF US GOLF
The prize winning Scottish artist, Ian Stewart Moir, has captured the first chapter in the history of American golf, which, he says, actually began in his home town of Dunfermline. By visiting his website Golf enthusiasts are able to see how he brought the massive oil painting to completion in the lead up to The Ryder Cup.
"This painting showcases the fact that Dunfermline, the ancient capital of Scotland, has a shared history with the United States. Out of civic pride, I always wanted to celebrate the local characters who founded golf in the US. They made a massive contribution to the history of the game." says Ian.
John Reid and Robert Lockhart, members of the 'Apple Tree Gang', are widely accepted as the founding fathers of American golf. It turns out that both of those pioneers came from the same town, the Royal Burgh of Dunfermline, which is about an hour's drive from St Andrews. These beautiful towns are contained within the Scottish region known historically as the 'Kingdom of Fife'.
The painter also said, "The more I looked into it, the more I discovered. For example, the great industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, yet another Dunfermline man, was a member of the first US golf club which John Reid set up in Yonkers, New York. Then I found out that ancient kings such as Charles 1st and James VI played a rudimentary form of golf on the very same hill where I live. These revelations gave me the inspiration for a large painting and made me feel as if I had something truly authentic to offer."
The painting, 'Reid, Lockhart and the game of Kings' is a large tableau depicting the Victorian pioneers overlooking medieval Kings playing golf in a local ravine, divided by a stream. The artist says this stream really exists, but also stands, symbolically, for the Atlantic Ocean. The dramatic picture also features Andrew Carnegie and Dunfermline Abbey, where Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, is buried.
"As it happens, I married an American lady at the grave of King Robert The Bruce, and Carnegie's birthplace museum is just around the corner. It's a very inspiring place for me to live, with so many connections to the States. Within the painting, the only fictionalized aspect is the time frame. I wanted to capture the whole story of Dunfermline's golf legacy which, of course, spanned across hundreds of years."
There is a facebook page, 'Our Golf Heritage' as well as a website, www.fathersofgolf.com. Ian says he is already enjoying a lot of interest in this artwork and eventually plans to sell it.
Contact:
iansmoir77@yahoo.co.uk
(01383) 739 381
mob. 07476 020 604
The prize winning Scottish artist, Ian Stewart Moir, has captured the first chapter in the history of American golf, which, he says, actually began in his home town of Dunfermline. By visiting his website Golf enthusiasts are able to see how he brought the massive oil painting to completion in the lead up to The Ryder Cup.
"This painting showcases the fact that Dunfermline, the ancient capital of Scotland, has a shared history with the United States. Out of civic pride, I always wanted to celebrate the local characters who founded golf in the US. They made a massive contribution to the history of the game." says Ian.
John Reid and Robert Lockhart, members of the 'Apple Tree Gang', are widely accepted as the founding fathers of American golf. It turns out that both of those pioneers came from the same town, the Royal Burgh of Dunfermline, which is about an hour's drive from St Andrews. These beautiful towns are contained within the Scottish region known historically as the 'Kingdom of Fife'.
The painter also said, "The more I looked into it, the more I discovered. For example, the great industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, yet another Dunfermline man, was a member of the first US golf club which John Reid set up in Yonkers, New York. Then I found out that ancient kings such as Charles 1st and James VI played a rudimentary form of golf on the very same hill where I live. These revelations gave me the inspiration for a large painting and made me feel as if I had something truly authentic to offer."
The painting, 'Reid, Lockhart and the game of Kings' is a large tableau depicting the Victorian pioneers overlooking medieval Kings playing golf in a local ravine, divided by a stream. The artist says this stream really exists, but also stands, symbolically, for the Atlantic Ocean. The dramatic picture also features Andrew Carnegie and Dunfermline Abbey, where Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, is buried.
"As it happens, I married an American lady at the grave of King Robert The Bruce, and Carnegie's birthplace museum is just around the corner. It's a very inspiring place for me to live, with so many connections to the States. Within the painting, the only fictionalized aspect is the time frame. I wanted to capture the whole story of Dunfermline's golf legacy which, of course, spanned across hundreds of years."
There is a facebook page, 'Our Golf Heritage' as well as a website, www.fathersofgolf.com. Ian says he is already enjoying a lot of interest in this artwork and eventually plans to sell it.
Contact:
iansmoir77@yahoo.co.uk
(01383) 739 381
mob. 07476 020 604