insiderblmIt all began with a few sheep by the river. Since then horses, hippos, snakes and even a dragon have appeared.
Something curious has been going on in the village of West Linton since the first coronavirus lockdown and it is continuing in the run-up to Christmas.
A series of striking silhouettes have popped up out of nowhere, attracting a great deal of attention from residents.
But what is the explanation for this steady arrival of more than 30 public artworks in the village?
The cut-outs are the work of two men – with the help of others – who wish to remain anonymous and operate under the name Silhouettesman.
One of them explained that it all began as the coronavirus pandemic began to strike.
“It started during lockdown, there are two of us doing it,” he explained.
“We had some scrap plywood and I said: ‘I’m going to make some sheep’. We stuck them in the grass by the river in the village.
“We have got a very active Facebook page for the village and they got a lot of comments
From there, interest quickly escalated as more and more of the cut-outs went up.
“Then it just kind of exploded – lots of people started visiting them,” he said.
“We got loads of positive feedback. People told us they have given us a reason to leave the house and take the kids out.”
With the local playpark out of use, Silhouttesman decided to turn his attentions there.
“It looks like a fort, it kinds of needs a dragon on it,” he thought and one was duly produced.
A silhouette is an image or design in a single hue and tone, they were particularly popular in the 18th or 19th Century as cut or painted profile portraits done in black on white – or the reverse.
The word was satirically derived from the name of the French finance minister Étienne de Silhouette who had a hobby of cutting paper shadow portraits.
West Linton is one of many Borders towns that stages annual horseback celebrations every summer but they were put on hold due to Covid.
The artistic team created a prancing horse to keep their spirit alive.
“We put that in the middle of the river,” he said.
“We made silhouettes to reflect the ghosts of the events that were supposed to be happening.
“People said they made a difference to their mental health.”
That made the people behind Silhouettesman realise they might be able to harness its popularity to raise funds for charity.
“A friend of ours was Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit,” he explained.
“His brother has set up Tiny Changes in his honour.
“If it is helping people’s mental health, let’s see if we can raise some money.”
The silhouettes have generated more than £5,000 so far with some of them being raffled off.
Now, in the run-up to Christmas, they want to raise more funds – this time for Shelter – with their own take on a nativity scene.
As well as helping others, it has also helped the artists themselves.
“For us it has been great to have an outlet during lockdown,” said Silhouettesman.
“It has been so rewarding seeing everyone else enjoy them.”
Graham Tulloch, who chairs the village’s community council, said people had been “truly delighted” when the first silhouettes appeared.
“They lifted our spirits at a very dark period when we could not see our friends or families and only venture out for one hour of exercise a day,” he said.
“The excitement of the children at seeing the first statues was joyful.
“Then, as more appeared they were desperate to go for the walk that a few days earlier was a chore.”
He said the village was proud to have the silhouettes along with the “positive happy discussions amongst friends and strangers” that they had inspired.
