Copy of Cove and Kilcreggan Book Festival

Day two of the festival begins with the biography of a much-loved Scottish artist, or, as George Wylie described himself a Sculptor! The Gourock man became widely known for a number of public artworks which made telling political points, like the Straw Locomotive suspended over a giant crane illustrating the demise of that industry, whilst The Paper Boat was a similar comment on the shape of shipbuilding. His dramatic works such as A Day Down A Goldmine were hugely popular.  Now, in Arrivals And Sailings, the journalist and art critic Jan Patience has joined forces with George’s writer daughter Louise Wylie to compile this wonderful tribute subtitled The Making of George Wylie.

The afternoon continues at 1400 with Alistair Moffat, the journalist, broadcaster and historian who has written the wonderfully comprehensive Scotland; A History From Earlier Times.  It’s a book packed full of extraordinary anecdotes from our country’s history, with the broad sweep of events interspersed with potted biographies of people, places, and customs.  Alistair, something of a renaissance man, has had several incarnations including director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, director of programmes at STV, and Rector of St Andrews University, his alma mater.  He was also involved in the original setting up Scotland’s DNA project, which has now extended to the UK, and, alongside Alexander McCall Smith and the artist Andrew Crummy, gave us the unique Great Tapestry of Scotland project.  A proud Borderer, he runs his own annual book festival based in Melrose. Alistair takes the stage at 2pm.

Our finale at 1530 is that multi faceted talent Muriel Gray – television presenter, TV production executive, horror fiction author, former rector of Edinburgh University and current chair of Glasgow School of Art, of which she is a graduate.

Sunday
11.30am George Wyllie event
2.00pm Alistair Moffat
3.30pm Muriel Gray