Ronald Rae Sculpture

Ronald Rae visits his earliest sculptures at Rozelle Park Ayr

Pauline — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:42:36 +0000

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In this recent film Ronald Rae talks about his granite sculptures sited at Rozelle Park Ayr which portray The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ. The granite for the centre piece, The Deposition, came from Kirkmabreck Quarry in Creetown. This was his first monumental work. The granite for the remaining sculptures came from the Old Harbour wall in Ayr. The project was funded by Kyle and Carrick District Council and unveiled in 1979 by George Younger, then Secretary of State for Scotland.

Rozelle Park is open all year round. It offers beautiful woodland walks, two art galleries with changing exhibitions, a high quality craft shop, a coothie tearoom and of course the sculptures. Well worth a visit.

Ronald Rae at his Falkirk Wheel Exhibition Part Two

Pauline — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 11:58:42 +0000

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This second video of Ronald Rae’s magnificent exhibition at The Falkirk Wheel features five of his animal sculptures two of which are endangered species and one a cloned creature. The next video, yet to be made, will cover the remaining sculptures.

Heavy Horse – Falkirk Wheel

Pauline — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:30:32 +0000

Granite 7x10x5ft 10.00 tonnes. For sale.

As you can see The Heavy Horse and Foal sculpture is a great favourite at The Falkirk Wheel. Heavy horses in days of yore, would have pulled the barges along the canal. The Ronald Rae Sculpture Exhibition at The Falkirk Wheel in Central Scotland runs throughout 2010.

To see a short video about this sculpture and other pieces at The Falkirk Wheel go to Latest News on the right hand column of this page and click on Ronald Rae at his Falkirk Wheel Exhibition Part One and Part Two.

Ronald Rae at his Falkirk Wheel Exhibition Part One

Pauline — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:36:58 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ronald Rae has fourteen sculptures on exhibition at The Falkirk Wheel in Central Scotland where the Forth, Clyde and Union Canals meet. The exhibition is free.The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, a masterpiece in engineering. In this video Ronald Rae talks about his most poignant works in the exhibition.

Ronald Rae with his sculptures on the Isle of Eriska

Pauline — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:55:53 +0000

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Ronald Rae has two sculptures, the Horse and Highland Cow, sited on the beautiful Isle of Eriska in Argyll. Each sculpture has a unique setting – the Horse is on the edge of the nine hole golfcourse with the stunning back drop of Loch Linnhe, and on the wilder west side of the island with distant views of the mountains of Mull, the Highland Cow is never alone having two donkeys for friends. Guests who stay in the five star Isle of Eriska Hotel are fortunate enough to have a private view of the sculptures whilst playing a round of golf or on one of the many Nature walks round the 300 acre island.

I.N.R.I.

Pauline — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:26:49 +0000

I.N.R.I. by John Davies

There’s a rock outside the Mac
With a man’s head on it
Seems to have fallen from the sky
Like a tailless comet

Landed with quite a bump
That airborne gent
One eye tight closed in a painful wince
One eye wide open with the shock of the event

This chunk of Kemnay granite
Shaped like a human shell
Whiskers neat like a Holywood Jesus
Or a tidied-up John Bell

A cow approaches it fondly
For this is her new scratching-post
She rubs her golden neck along its edge
Dispelling all her itches to the coast

Four letters mark the granite base I.N.R.I.
I ponder their meaning initially:
“It never rains on Iona?”
Or perhaps what that cow is doing:
“I Nuzzle Rock Indolently.”

Fallen Christ and Cow

Pauline — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:28:00 +0000

Granite 5x8x7ft 7.00 tonnes. Location: Isle of Iona.

The site for the Fallen Christ sculpture on Iona is on land where sheep and cattle freely graze. This touching photo of a cow nuzzling Christ’s head was captured by David Coleman of the Iona Community. It was published on the cover of the Coracle, magazine of the Iona Community accompanied by this poem by Ruth Burgess.

If I listen
I can hear
what you are thinking
share what you are feeling
let your pain touch me
be amazed by your love…

Even in stone
you speak
you breathe

To see a short video about this sculpture go to Latest News on the right hand column of this page and click on Ronald Rae visits his Fallen Christ sculpture on Iona.

Cramond Fish in Winter

Pauline — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:30:42 +0000

Granite 7x10x6ft 8.00 tons. Location: Cramond Waterfront

Here is a photo to cool you down this summer! It is also a reminder of how cold it was last winter with temperatures of minus 10 degrees recorded in Edinburgh. It is very unusual to see snow lying on the beach.

The Cramond Fish covered in snow was captured by Ulla Lorriman in January 2010.

To see a short video about this sculpture on the day it was inaugurated go to Links on the right hand column of this page and click on The Cramond Association.

Ronald Rae visits his Fallen Christ Sculpture on Iona

Pauline — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:59:44 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Not everyone manages to go to Iona because of the long journeys involved – from the mainland of Scotland it requires two ferry journeys and 40 miles on a one track road through Mull. It is said of Iona that it is a hard place to get to and an equally hard place to leave. After seeing this video I think you will understand why.

Ronald Rae’s Fallen Christ has now been on Iona for two years. A sign directs visitors to find the sculpture past the Abbey on the hill next to the George MacLeod Centre, home of The Iona Community. The sculpture is in memory of Jim Hughes, an Iona Community member – it was Jim who decided to have the sculpture there.

The Deposition – The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ

Pauline — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:40:47 +0000

Granite:5x4x2ft 3.00 tons. Location: Rozelle Park, Ayr. Sold.

The Deposition – The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ

One of five sculptures portraying the Tragic Sacrifice of Christ, the centrepiece of which is this deep relief of the Deposition of Christ – Christ being taken down from the cross.

The deposition is a complex work which Rae began at the age of eighteen and partly carved during his time at Edinburgh College of Art when he was influenced both by Michelangelo and cubist forms. He finished the piece twelve years later at Rozelle Park, Ayr.

The granite for this sculpture came from Kirkmabreck Quarry in Creetown.

To see a short video about this sculpture go to Latest News on the right hand column of this page and click on Ronald Rae visits his earliest sculptures at Rozelle Park Ayr.