Home   News   Article

Photography exhibition at Forres Town Hall celebrates the community Unexpected Gardens project


By Garry McCartney

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
Bike Bothy owner, Kevin Riddoch, in the lane beside his shop.
Bike Bothy owner, Kevin Riddoch, in the lane beside his shop.

A new photography exhibition in the town centre celebrates local people growing their own fruit and veg’ - in the unlikeliest of places.

Photographer Alexander Williamson’s exhibition at Forres Town Hall began as part of the ‘Unexpected Gardens’ project run by Findhorn Bay Arts in partnership with Dandelion, the Scotland-wide creative growing initiative - from novice growers to green fingered experts, his portraits celebrate Moray’s growing community, shining a light on the people taking new and alternative approaches to growing food sustainably.

Margot Henderson in her garden at Memory Lane.
Margot Henderson in her garden at Memory Lane.

Alexander said: “It’s been so lovely meeting the growing community around Forres and recording their stories on why they grow. Many spoke about the link to the soil and nature as well as physical and mental health benefits. Some reflected on a reconnection with past memories and lost loved ones. I’m so grateful to everyone who let me take their photograph over the summer.

“My intention is to expand this project over the next year or so, to capture those people who might have been missed the first time around. So if you grow your own and would like to be part of this project, it would be great to hear from you. Please get in touch via my website.”

This community includes residents living in the lanes of the town centre, representatives of the Unexpected Garden’s community growing partners such as Forres in Bloom and Transition Town Forres, and local artists, musicians, growers and producers who were also involved.

Dorota Owen has been growing behind a familiar Chinese restaurant on High Street.
Dorota Owen has been growing behind a familiar Chinese restaurant on High Street.

Unexpected Gardens emerging creative producer Eva Zandman said: "It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be part of the project. We hope that through all the various activities provided, we have inspired people to keep on growing, sowing and sharing vegetables and that it will continue in as many forms as possible in the future."

The portraits are accompanied by short stories from each sitter revealing the inspiration they take from growing their own.

Open Mondays and Tuesdays from 10am-4pm, the exhibition at Forres Town Hall is on until Sunday, October 2 as part of the fourth Findhorn Bay Festival.

To see more of Alexander’s work, visit www.alexander-williamson.com.



Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More