I was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. My first degree is a BSc with Honours in Botany from the University of Glasgow, that led me into a career in science and agronomy, both in the UK and in Developing Countries. Upon returning from overseas I studied performance art, filmmaking and contemporary costume design, then a BA with Honours in Fine Art at Cumbria Institute of the Arts.
Bardsea-Green Films
In 2016 I founded Bardsea-Green Films as a group of filmmakers, folklorists and performance artists making sketch series, short films, and documentary.
search: Bardsea-Green Films on YouTube
In 2018, I began sharing folk tales and Druid mythology as the Bard of Cumberland; and exploring folklore through the medium of short film, Land of Lore Films was founded in 2020.
search: Land of Lore Films on YouTube
follow: Bard of Cumberland on X
contact : thefolklorepress@gmail.com
Exhibitions – Projects – Interviews
2025
Halloween folk tales and ghost stories published in The Mail, Westmorland Gazette, Whitehaven News, and Times and Star, from both folklore books
Interview with Cat Mackinlay of The Mail and Westmorland Gazette regarding my new Boggart book
Published in August 2025, Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin; an Encyclopedia of World Folklore; in print and ebook
Interview with The Mail, Westmorland Gazette, Whitehaven News, and Times and Star regarding my new folklore book.
Published in July 2025, my Folklore of the Lake District ; ghost stories, folk tales, dialect, verse; in print and ebook.
I continue to write each month for Cumbria and Lakeland Walker magazine on the topic of Cumbrian folklore.
The Legend of Pendragon Castle; folklore on film at Land of Lore Films
The FolkLore Press is established to publish my illustrations, poetry and writings: folklore and fantasy fiction. Follow The FolkLore Press @StephenGeoRae on X for updates
Link: https://folklorepress.co.uk/
2024
New poetry book: often I stop and look back. Is a collection of sixty Haiku, a narrative to the changing seasons and my changing mind.
Interview with Heather Tanner for “This is Ulverston”. A collection of portraits and interviews featuring the residents of Ulverston.
Interview with Cat Mackinlay of The Mail and Westmorland Gazette regarding my new Haiku poetry book.
Interviewed by the Three Ravens Podcast on the topic of Cumbrian folklore and Druidry, as part of their Legends series.
I continue to write each month for Cumbria magazine, now Cumbria and Lakeland Walker magazine.
Studio assistant to Dr Heike Brachlow, internationally renowned cast glass artist and teacher of glass and ceramics at the Royal College of Art, London.
Ongoing filmmaking projects with Land of Lore Films and Bardsea-Green Films. Producing a series of illustrations inspired by characters from folklore and mythology. Continuing my Enchantment series of paintings; gouache and ink on paper
2023
Monday 3rd July until Saturday 22nd July, “enchantment” an exhibition of my latest paintings at Ulverston Art House, Ulverston
Witch Bottles : my folk art sculptures are now on permanent display at the Centre for Folklore Myth and Magic, Todmorden; Folklore Library and Archive, Devon
Interviewed by award winning Cumbria filmmaker, Terry Abraham for his upcoming film “Cumbrian Red”. My part in his film is sharing folk tales and myths of the red squirrel. The film is available to view on his website and selected theatres.
I continue to write for Cumbria magazine on local folklore.
Broon Man of the Moors and Mountains short film as Land of Lore Films.
White Lady of Furness Abbey short film as Land of Lore Films.
Interview with Cat Mackinlay of The Mail, discussing the White Lady film, and Cumbrian folklore in general.
The ‘big cat’ phenomenon in Cumbrian folklore; preparatory research for CPL Productions.
2022
Advising the Production Company that makes the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip on Cumbrian folklore for use in its episodes.
I continue to write for Cumbria magazine on local folklore.
Faeries and the Piper, and Headless Monk of Furness Abbey film series as Land of lore Films.
Guest host on Edgeways. A weekly group on Zoom Talking Druids and Cumbrian folklore.
My painting: “may this universe not deceive you” exhibited at the Lake Artists Society show at Grasmere.
An interview with Daniel Pye of the Westmorland Gazette regarding my documentary with Bardsea-Green Films of, The Pike: a story of the film the never was.
Witches Heart, is a contemporary folk art sculpture, and is now on permanent display at the Folklore Library & Archive, Devon; The Witches Heart copy is now on permanent display at the Centre for Folklore, Todmorden.
Interview for the Dream Swarm podcast, discussing art, folklore and filmmaking:
Link: https://dreamswarm-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/13164/episodes/folklore-filmmaking-bard-of-cumberland
2021
I continue writing for Cumbria magazine on local folklore.
Two paintings exhibited at the Lake Artists Society Exhibition, Rheged Centre, Penrith:
2020
Land of Lore Films founded, in partnership with Bardsea-Green Films, using the medium of short film to explore the folklore of my native Ayrshire, and my adopted Cumbria.
Boggart of Graythwaite; An Ulverston Ghost Story; The Screaming Skulls of Calgarth; The Tale of Sawney Bean: short films as Land of Lore Films.
Invited to write for Cumbria magazine. An article each issue on the topic of Cumbrian folklore. My first, November 2020.
Nadur, a performance art and film project in collaboration with Bardsea-Green Films. Nadur (nature in Gaelic) is a narrative to wildlife decline, biodiversity loss, and pollution of our ecosystems.
Interviewed as the Bard of Cumberland for Lancs Live, an online news service covering Lancashire and Cumbria.
Link: https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/bard-cumberland-cumbrias-storyteller-ghosts-18746633
Interviewed as the Bard of Cumberland for The Folklore Podcast, episode 73
Launch of the Bard of Cumberland website.
2019
Winner of the Kent Valley Award for ‘Best Work on Paper’ at the Lake Artists Society Summer Exhibition, Grasmere:
Cernunnos Horned God of Rheged short film, a comedy containing elements of The Goodies, Monty Python, and just a dash of Doctor Who.
2017-18
Come and Play with Mr Rae experimental short film exhibited as part of FON 4.5, Barrow-in-Furness, UK
The Last King of Cumbria and #LostLaika short films as Bardsea-Green Films.
2016
Founded Bardsea-Green Films with Paul A. Rigg. Short films inspired by comedy, surrealism, satire, the folklore and mythology of Cumbria.
2014
Family Dynamics collaboration with Lakes Collective, Grasmere, UK
2013
ARTober Sine Dubio Arts Festival, Windermere, UK
Holy Detritus with The Wordsworth Trust and St. Oswald’s Church, Grasmere, UK
A Little Birdhouse In Your Soul solo exhibition of paintings, Ulverston, UK
The Lake Artists Society Summer Exhibition. Grasmere, UK
Nine Lives solo exhibition of paintings and poetry in Swarthmoor, UK
2005-06
Founded the Eyelevel Artists Co-operative. Our group show entitled Coffee Morning at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Carlisle, UK
Red Wine, White Lies group show, Carlisle, UK
2005
My The Pink Carnation performance and video art exhibited at Borlange, Sweden.
Make Capitalism History performance art at G8 Summit, Edinburgh, UK.
1996 – 2005
The Dalton Collective of artists and poets engaged in Guerrilla Art, surrealist filmmaking, painting, poetry, sculpture.
Bard of Cumberland 
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