Artist urges us to unleash our inner Gongoozler

Lesley Banks aims to capture the beauty of the nation’s waterways on canvas, but she needs people to come forward with their canal stories and memories for a new 15-month project entitled Gongoozler – a term for someone who takes joy from watching the world pass by on the water.

Lesley will be travelling the Forth & Clyde, Union, Monkland, Caledonian and Crinan Canals creating paintings that celebrate the environments and stories of Scotland’s 250-year-old waterways.

She said: “I’m in the process of walking the 137 miles of the Scottish canals network. That experience, and the stories submitted by the public, will allow me to create five unfolding sequential visual journeys depicting the unique character of each canal.

“I’d encourage everyone to share their gongoozling experiences and play a part in the project.”

Funded by the National Lottery and supported by Falkirk Community Trust and Scottish Canals, the project will see Lesley showcase her work at Falkirk’s Park Gallery in May next year.

Visit www.forthvalleyopenstudios.com for more.