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Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - a legacy lifeline for aspiring artists
“Without this award, I would not be able to complete my work to a high standard”, says Maria*, one of the 2023/24 recipients of the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham DJCAD Study Aid grant
Published on 31 October 2024
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham in her Edinburgh studio, 1937. Determined to succeed as an artist, trailblazer Wilhelmina successfully graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in this year. Image courtesy of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust ©Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust
For an artist, achieving creative fulfilment is a dream come true, yet for many students, financial worries can quickly turn this dream into a nightmare. The support of the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust is invaluable to students who are struggling financially, and for recipients it can make the difference between continuing with studies or not.
Rasheed* adds: “I’m extremely thankful for this and couldn’t be more grateful as my financial situation was starting to really worry me.”
“Paying for essentials can be difficult enough and additional expenses, such as buying books and materials, can place an extreme burden on students.”, explains the Trust’s Director, Rob Airey. “Unforeseen circumstances can also create huge financial pressure and have a crushing impact on studies.”
Student, DJCAD
The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust was established by Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham CBE (8 June 1912 - 26 January 2004), one of Britain’s most significant twentieth-century modern artists and a scholarship recipient herself.
“Wilhelmina knew the life-changing impact her scholarship had made, enabling her to continue down a creative path which may have been obstructed had it not been for this gratefully received provision”, says Rob. “The Study Aid grant reflects her commitment to nurturing artists of the future, ensuring talent has a real chance to thrive.”
End of the Glacier Upper Grindelwald, Gouache and Pencil on Paper, 1949. Image courtesy of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust ©Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust
Inspiring artists of the future
Today, as well as helping students to achieve their dreams, the Trustees’ work hard to celebrate Barns-Graham and her work. Her incredible creativity was showcased earlier this year in The British Museum’s ‘A Scot in St Ives’ exhibition, the display further highlighting her important contribution to British art.
Her unique way of sensing the world has also been documented in a new film by Mark Cousins. Featuring Tilda Swinton as the voice of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, ‘A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things’ tells the story of how a climbing experience to Switzerland’s Grindelwald Glacier in 1949 transformed her art.
“Wilhelmina’s trip to witness this stunning landscape was a pivotal moment, it shaped how she viewed the world and resulted in her critically acclaimed Glacier paintings”, Rob explains.
The Trust continues to shine a light on the remarkable life and work of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and champion students as they navigate their way through their artistic journey. The legacy of this remarkable artist shapes the world today, lifting and inspiring the next generation of artists as they strive, just as Barns-Graham did, to achieve their creative dream.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Visit our guides to find out more about discretionary funding:
- Apply for discretionary funding if you are a UK student
- Apply for discretionary funding if you are an international student
To learn more about giving to the University of Dundee, please visit www.dundee.ac.uk/alumni/donate.