The Cairn Distillery have announced their latest initiative as part of their Beacon of Inspiration campaign which aims to encourage people to take that next step, and realise a long-held ambition.
They are inviting people from across the UK to tell them why they’ve always harboured a dream to become an artist, and what it would mean to them to be given the chance to hone their craft under the expert wing of artist Phil Dean – also known as ‘The Shoreditch Sketcher’ – who has over 100,000 followers on Instagram.
The winners will then take part in an all-expenses paid workshop in London with Phil, before joining him at The Cairn in September to put their new skills into practice by sketching the distillery in its natural environment on the banks of the River Spey.
Phil Dean, ‘The Shoreditch Sketcher’, said, “Drawing in urban spaces gives you a completely new way to engage – to sketch a city is to truly see it. You are out in a public environment, part of the landscape and embedded in your surroundings. You have to embrace the freedom it provides.
“The Cairn is truly inspirational in terms of its whisky, its building, and its surroundings, so I’m very much looking forward to helping our amateur artists to bring this magnificent place to life on paper.”
Ian Chapman, Marketing Director of Gordon & MacPhail said, “We are so proud of our home here in the Cairngorms, from the stunning mountains to the glorious River Spey, we are never short of inspiration. It truly is the perfect place for artists to bring their canvas and create something special.
“We are delighted to be working with Phil to give aspiring artists the chance pursue a life-long dream and collaborate with such a talented creator. We can’t wait to see the final results.”
This is the third instalment of The Cairn’s initiative to inspire visitors to pursue long-held ambitions. The first was launched last year when The Cairn brought together three musicians who shared a goal to collaborate internationally and offered them the opportunity to create a unique track inspired by Scotland’s incredible landscape, which encompasses the distillery. This was followed by a competition earlier this year, giving ambitious chefs the chance to design a bespoke menu with Tim Maddams, one of the UK’s leading chefs.