© the artist
A lively and vivacious storyteller, Heather’s storytelling is often accompanied by the music of the clarsach (Scottish traditional harp), creating a unique blend of music and the spoken word. She has performed, and led workshops, all over Scotland and abroad, including Iceland, Norway, Canada and the USA.
Heather grew up surrounded by storytelling, literature, theatre and music. When she was seven years old her mother, Dr Barbara McDermitt, began her PhD on folk narrative at the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University. Heather was very fortunate to be taken by her mother on many recording trips over the following years. These included visiting the Gaelic tradition bearer Nan MacKinnon on the island of Vatersay in the Outer Hebrides; the master storytellers from the Scottish Traveller tradition, such as Stanley Robertson, Duncan Williamson and Betsy Whyte; and the Appalachian storyteller Ray Hicks in the USA. These early experiences made a lasting impression and helped mould Heather’s own storytelling skills as well as install a deep love and respect for the place of the folktale within different cultures.
Saturday 12 July, 11am-12:30pm / 1-2pm
Small Art Gallery
