Oor Wullie

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Wullie the Cowboy
Wullie the Cowboy

I’ve seen many charity sculpture trails in different cities. The latest one is Oor Wullie (Our Willie) currently gracing Dundee, the city where publisher D.C. Thomson has produced a comic strip featuring Wullie in the The Sunday Post since 1937. Wullie was a staple of my childhood with his spiky hair, dungarees and an upturned bucket, often used as a seat. Now over 50 artists have given him a makeover, but I didn’t have to go to Dundee to see them. A small group is touring the country – I found Wullie the Cowboy in Glasgow Central Station and the ones below were all in the Kibble Palace at the Botanic Gardens.

In September, the statues will be auctioned off in aid of Tayside Children’s Hospital. Isn’t Wullie braw?

Guilded Wullie
Where’s Wullie?
Sudger Wullie
GG
Strawberry Thief
Boozy Cow Graffiti
Minecraft
Scotspirit Wullie
Night on the Toon
Wullie Wallace

PS Paisley, the town where my Mum lives, also has a statue trail at the moment: Pride of Paisley. There are lions everywhere! Unfortunately, most of the ones I have seen have been from the car, but here are two captured on a recent shopping trip. There are big lions and small lions, the latter decorated by local schoolchildren.

Arkleston Primary School
Mystique by Maryann Wright

These statues will also be auctioned in aid of two local hospices. I don’t think my garden’s big enough for a lion, is yours?

Scotland, UK , ,

41 Comments »

  1. what a fun post – and how cool to see the takes (and cool they made money on them)
    I only heard of Oor Wullie earlier tonight – and here I see it again –
    and by the way – I think I used to follow you in 2014 – and I came here from Jo’s walk this week – and i remembered you because you have the same name as my grandmother – spelled different – but it makes me smile each time I see it –
    anyhow, thanks for the cool art post and history = and good day to you.
    🙂

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  2. These are fantastic Anabel. I particularly like Where’s Wullie, and Night on the Toon! My gran used to send Our Wullie and The Broons albums to us in NZ for Christmas, and I still have a few of mine. I’m not sure whether my garden could take a lion, though if I had a meadow, I’d definitely want one. Do you know the Margaret Mahy story ‘A Lion in the Meadow”?

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  4. I have no knowledge of ‘Oor Wullie’ but I’ll look out for him next time I’m in Scotland. (I live at the opposite end of the country).

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  7. This is reminiscent of the cows that were placed around the city of Chicago one summer. I think there were 200 of them all done by different artists and placed in interesting locations. Another summer I participated in creating as a painter, a large globe as part of 250 globes all educating the public to climate change. Was a terrific project to be part of. The exhibit then went on tour to many different countries.

    Peta

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  11. Didn’t know about either sculpture trails. I suppose that’s what happens when you only buy a weekend paper and miss all the daily local news. Oor Wullie and the Broons always seemed to be at least 30 years behind the times, even in the 1950s, but it was only as an adult I realized this as the introduction of modern gadgets seemed to diminish the magic somehow and they would always find ways (power cuts etc) to get back to candles, coal fires and the basics of life. They were a great read throughout my childhood and I’ve still got a few annuals. Amazing artwork in every strip when you look at the amount of detail crammed into each square.

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  16. That’s a lot of Wullies! Thanks for the introduction. Belgium has a lot of cartoon characters and books as well. Your Wullie reminds me of our Lucky Luck, the cowboy. Our garden is definitely too small for a lion, since we don’t have one. 🙂

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  17. Oh, thank you for these! I had plans to be in Glasgow and Dundee this month (the low $ put paid to that trip) so am glad to see him here. I used to get Oor Wullie books sent to me when I was little and loved them, though I was always having to ask my mother what half the words meant!

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  18. I spotted Wullie on Sat at Waverley station in Edinburgh and had the privilege of seeing one of the artists working on her contribution to the trail on a visit to Dundee earlier in the year. I love these trails!

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