Anyone familiar with the Angus Og cartoons will be familiar with the exquisite draughtsmanship and witty storytelling style of it’s creator Ewen Bain. What not everyone will be aware of is that prior to becoming a full-time cartoonist Ewen Bain spent many years inspiring young people as an art teacher in schools across Glasgow.
One of his former pupils tells us that ‘he was already becoming famous as a cartoonist and one of his tricks when we boys in his class became a little over exuberant was to draw caricatures of the locals on the blackboard. He drew other teachers and the boys in the class. I wish he’d given me the sketch he did of me, to the howls of my fellow pupils, on paper. I had affected the best ‘bop’ hairstyle in the school, all quiff and Trugel and Duck’s Arse. He had me portrayed as some eighteenth century Marconi with several other boys assisting in holding me up, my coiffeur being that heavy. He’d drawn a crane with a comb in it’s maw. The strange thing was – well not so strange when you got to know Ewen – was that it wasn’t cruel or anything, even if it was marvellously satirical. In fact, being selected for his sketches was definitely a kudos’ Jack McLean, Angus Og from the Og Logs, 1999.
Inspired by Ewen’s years teaching and the continued relevance of the cartoons to current islanders Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre secured Highland Cares Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding to support a new Angus Og inspired Graphic Art and Media Club. Tìr nan Òg: Land of the Young is an opportunity for young people aged 13-18 years to make themselves at home in the archive centre, explore our collection of Angus Og cartoons (alongside other related archive material they are interested in looking at) and to use this as inspiration for their own creative responses. It’s perfect for anyone who loves storytelling, art, animation, film, music, chatting or any other form of creative expression!
The group meet weekly to chat about and explore the collection whilst pulling out issues that they feel are most relevant to themselves and their communities. They are supported to respond to these through drawing, comic creation, storytelling, podcast or animation inspired by the original cartoon format and to record these responses utilising individual art kits and project diaries/sketchbooks. There are lots of different art supplies and digital tools for folk to use and, with young peoples’ permission, the creative output from this project will be used to raise awareness of current local issues through a linked exhibition and online showreel of anonymised work with the aim of raising awareness of local issues and how to access local support networks.
Keep an eye on our social media for regular updates on Tìr nan Òg: Land of the Young.
