So many things

So as many of you know that I am over in Scotland currently. My stay has been quite enjoyable. As of yet we have stayed in the following places: Berwick, Stonehaven, and now Dunkeld (though just for the evening). The wireless signal has been weak in most parts of this country (which is why I haven't blogged near as much as I would have or rather should have.

We've studied many things including themes of place, belonging, and a enriched resonance of spirit. The sights are inspiring and breath-taking. There are so many things to see and pictures do not capture this place. I feel like taking pictures is almost an insult to the landscape: trying to capture this epic place with my lens. The colors don't speak as well, you can't smell the salty air of the North Sea in the Mearns. Or the electric life of Berwick which has a large town feel with a small town mentality.

Puzzles of Scotland's past speak loudly around every corner, every bend has something to offer you. You touch the ground and you hear the voices of so many peoples come and gone. Standing Stones, Castle ruins, hidden ebbs and flows of the land. Think too quickly and you may just miss a cathedral that Lewis Grassic Gibbon is buried at (along with many a Cruickshank). I wish I could bottle this and give it to my mother: the ultimate mother's day gift of a lifetime.

Cruickshanks of the Past

You are never going to believe what I've found. Birth records, death records, marriage records, immigrant records, of my great-great grandfather Edward F. Cruickshank. His son, Edward W. Cruickshank, his son Albert Cruickshank, who is my grandfather.

I found that he was born in Toronto, Canada. He lived in Midland, MI and was buried in Beaverton, MI with a lot of my other relatives. The trail ends here for now because the obituary I've found doesn't say who his parents were. I have many leads that he may have come from Nova Scotia and that his ancestors are buried in St. Andrew's United Church Cemetery in Elderbank (Formerly Little River). From there I've found on goCruickshanks.com that there are 1,500 other Cruickshanks (with various spellings, ex: Crwikschank) this is a website calling all Cruickshanks!

On GoCruickshanks.com there is an article I found that there were many Cruickshanks in Nova Scotia... as said the listings at the cemetery there in Elderbank. It makes sense because Nova Scotia stands for New Scotland. I can access the passenger lists from Scotland to Nova Scotia but until I can find someone I'm related to I'll just bookmark that tool. (On a side note I did find there is Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. This makes me feel like being an artist was something more then what I was called to do but something I was meant to do. Imagine that they have a MFA program for what I would like to do. There's a thought!)

On a slightly different topic, Cruickshank belongs to the Clan of Steward. This clan has 7 kings of scotland making it the House of Steward, this is the longest house in rule over Scotland until the birth of Mary Queen of Scots. (And I'm geeked because I know who that is cause I own the Elizabethan movies with

Cate Blanchett). I keep trudging forward, there are still so many things I have yet to explore before I leave this Friday to go over there. Yay, royalty and clansmen!

More to come and keeping you posted,

A. Cruickshank

A. Cruickshank Design

Hello Readers,

As of yet I have linked my professional artists website: www.acruickshankdesignelements.com to this blog. I am transforming this blog into less of a personal space for things and more of a place for what I create. This will still include my poetry but also new projects I am working on. I will also include photos.

I would also like to take this time to announce the opening reception to my senior show in the Flora Kirsch Beck Gallery on Alma College's campus. It it's April 9th (my birthday) 2-4pm. You should come there will be refreshments, yummy refreshments.

April 7th is also Honors Day on Alma's campus, there aren't any classes. The day is filled presentations by students. I present twice on that day. Once for senior show, where I will give a talk about my work. The second time being for Pine River Anthology which is a publication by the college that me and the other student graphic designers work on in conjunction with the english department. This year our theme is Pinion, which means feather, gear, and wing.

I'll keep you posted as the date comes closer to graduation.

A