Artist charts Clipper's Atlantic homecoming

When the Clipper boats come to town this July, Fiona - known  as the Wild Places Painter - will be taking up residence on the North Pier painting live and selling her work inspired by the race renowned as one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet.

Getting the role of artist in residence was a stroke of genius for Fiona, who usually packs up her painting kit in a rucksack ready for her wanderings into the wild, and is also a fundraising volunteer for the RNLI saving lives at sea charity supporting Oban lifeboat.

While Clipper crews on the 70ft yachts battle extreme conditions on their 11-month circumnavigation, Fiona has been embarking on her own voyage of creativity getting ready for their arrival in July.

UNICEF is the Clipper race’s established chosen charity so allowing her and the RNLI to be so involved in the 2026 event has been "particularly generous" says Fiona who is full of respect and admiration for the adventurers who are not all expert yachtspeople and come from all walks of life to race across the world’s oceans.

When BID4Oban, who are partnering with Argyll and Bute Council to be port hosts, put a call out to the community looking for people who could contribute to making the event an even bigger celebration than in 2024, Fiona got in touch with a plan.

"I’ve been an artist in residence  before and thought I could do it for the Clipper this time. Most of the time all the action is out at sea, something people don’t get to see for themselves when the Clippers are tied up in the bay - so I thought I could produce paintings that would be a kind of mediator to getting people access to all that happens while the race is out there on the mountainous waves. The race is 24 hours, it doesn’t stop in the dark. It’s extreme and hard core," said Fiona who refers to herself as ’a fairweather sailor’  whose sea legs experience is tame compared to the Clipper crews.

"I’m hoping my contribution will add another dimension to people experiencing the Clipper from the mainland," she added.