Print wins Bulter award for artist Wheeler

The winner of this year’s Rhoda Bulter Award is Lucy Wheeler from Fair Isle.

The Bulter family, who judged the art competition, chose Lucy’s linocut print from a wide range of entries inspired by Rhoda’s poems.

Rhoda’s daughter Margaret Stevenson said: “We all loved Lucy’s beautiful picture. It easily met the remit in its interpretation of the poem about the Nort Wind, and was very skilfully executed – a truly beautifully presented picture that we were all drawn to.”

Mrs Stevenson said she and her brothers and sisters had been delighted with the overall standard of work submitted for the competition which was promoted by dialect group Shetland ForWirds on behalf of the family.

Lucy was also delighted. She said: “Rhoda Bulter was an inspirational woman in both her poetry and artwork.”

Her entry was inspired by one of Rhoda’s “Peerie Rhymes for Peerie Bairns”.

Lucy added: “It conjures up memories of my upbringing on a Fair Isle croft and the worry of weather at lambing time. I’m so pleased that Rhoda’s family liked my print and felt that it visually represented the poem.”

As well as the award, Lucy will get a copy of Hairst Is Coosed, the newly published collection of Rhoda’s Shetland poems.

The trophy will be presented at an “Auld Newerday Fjaana” in the Baila Room, Sound Hall on Saturday 10th January.

Shetland ForWirds hopes to have an exhibition of all the shortlisted entries early in the New Year.

Nort Wind
Da nort wind’ll blaa
An we’ll hae snaa
An whaat will da caddies dü dan, poor tings?
We’ll git dem weel bül’d
Wi some hey an dry müld,
Or dey’ll mebbe moor up in a fan, poor tings.