info

Bard of Cumberland * Bardsea-Green Films * Land of Lore Films * folklore; Druid mythology; storytelling; poetry; contemporary art; folklore on film; surrealist and satirical film.

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 for a BA with Honours in Fine Art at Cumbria Institute of the Arts, and then ordained as a Buddhist monk for a few years. I returned to my art practice in 2011.

In 2016 I was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts. Also in 2016 I co-founded Bardsea-Green Films, and we are now a group of filmmakers, folklorists and performance artists making sketch series, short films, and documentary.

In 2018, I began sharing folk tales and Druid lore as the Bard of Cumberland. Exploring folklore through the medium of short film, Land of Lore Films was founded in 2020.

Stephen George Rae, Rae Film & Media

contact : stephengeorgerae@gmail.com

Exhibitions – Projects – Interviews

2023

I continue to write for Cumbria magazine on local folklore

Filming a documentary as Bardsea-Green Films of “The Pike: a story of the film the never was”

Further “folklore on film” projects as Land of Lore Films are scheduled for this spring

2022

I continue to write for Cumbria magazine on local folklore

Faeries and the Piper, the Galloway Folklore film series

Headless Monk of Furness Abbey, the Bard of Cumberland film series

Guest host on Edgeways. A weekly group on Zoom Talking Druids and Cumbrian folklore

“may this universe not deceive you” painting exhibited at the Lake Artists Society show at Grasmere

An interview with Daniel Pye of the Westmorland Gazette regarding my upcoming documentary with Bardsea-Green Films of, The Pike: a story of the film the never was

Witches Heart, is a 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, Myth & Magic, Todmorden

The Bluecap, the Bard of Cumberland film series

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, UK

An interview for Hollr, as part of a series of documentaries being produced on Cumbrian folklore and ghost stories

Fullarton and the Faeries, the Ayrshire Folklore film series

The Bloody Redcap, the Bard of Cumberland film series

Interview with NWE Mail, a local Cumbrian newspaper; print and online

Red Lady of Woodland, short film of local ghost story

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

Bedtime Tales, a series of alternative ‘fairytales’ with a more surrealist element, in collaboration with Bardsea-Green Films

Boggart of Grathwaite, the Bard of Cumberland film series

An Ulverston Ghost Story, the short film of a lesser-known ghost story

The Screaming Skulls of Calgarth, a short film of this classic Lake District ghost story

The Tale of Sawney Bean, the Ayrshire Folklore film series

Cumbria magazine – writing an article each issue on the topic of Cumbrian folklore. My first, November 2020

Adam Bell, the Robin Hood of the North, a short film with Bardsea-Green Films

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

OPUS, a new series of experimental film of poetry, film and music. A collaboration with Bardsea-Green Films

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

Link: http://www.thefolklorepodcast.com/season-5/episode-73-the-bard-of-cumberland-in-conversation-with-joana-varanda

Dunmail, the last King of Cumbria, the Bard of Cumberland film series

The Janet Tree, the Bard of Cumberland film series

Bard of Cumberland website launched

2019

Winner of the Kent Valley Award for ‘Best Work on Paper’ at the Lake Artists Society Summer Exhibition, Grasmere, UK

Cernunnos Horned God of Rheged short film

The Boggart of Leece, the first of a new series of one minute films of folklore and film as the Bard of Cumberland

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 short film

#LostLaika short film

2016

Founded Bardsea-Green Films with Paul A. Rigg

Awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts; FRSA

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

2011-2012

Back into my studio after a 5 year absence

2006

Red Wine, White Lies group show, Carlisle, UK

2005-06

Founded the Eyelevel Artists Co-operative
Group show entitled Coffee Morning, St. Cuthbert’s Church, Carlisle, UK

2005

Heartbeat video and performance art. Borlange, Sweden

Make Capitalism History performance art at G8 Summit, Edinburgh, UK

2004

Blank Cheque group show, Carlisle, UK

2003-06

BA with Honours in Fine Art, Cumbria Institute of the Arts, studied painting under Kevin Philips

2002-03

HNC Art & Design, Ayr College, studied painting under Michael G Clark

2000

Peace exhibition of paintings in Islamabad, Pakistan

1997-2004

Dalton Storm Collective. Artists, poets and musicians engaged in guerrilla art, performance art, and spoof documentary

Other:

2000

Interview with BBC Countryfile programme, discussing my upcoming project in Pakistan

1997-present

Continue to write Zen poetry and haiku. Published in UK and overseas
A selection is contained within The National Poetry Library

1994

Interview with BBC Radio Scotland, discussing my Botany thesis

1992-94

BSc with Honours in Botany, University of Glasgow