The Caledonia Collective brings together creative people who have a common passion for the Scottish landscape, to tells stories big and small, in their own unique ways. We have a core team of regular contributors who also maintain and support the site, along with guest contributors.
David Russell – Editor
David has centred his life around a deep love for Scotland’s Highlands, which grew from his experiences mountaineering and kayaking while studying at the University of St Andrews. First moving to the Cairngorms in 2010, he spent the next ten years working in the adventure tourism industry as an instructor, guide and travel consultant. After being made redundant during the coronvirus pandemic, he decided to dedicate his time and efforts on his passion for the Scottish landscape. Now working as a self-employed landscape photographer, writer and guide-for-hire, David brings a high level of knowledge about Scotland’s natural habitats and history to the table. Creatively, he is best known as a photographer of the Caledonian Forest, and also creates video and writes moving accounts of nature. Recently, he has also taken to landscape painting, inspired as always by the woods of Strathspey.
View David’s Website: www.highlandwildscapes.com
Hamish Napier – Assistant Editor
Hamish Napier is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and music educator from Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands. He sings, plays piano, whistles and flutes and writes music inspired by communities, heritage and nature. He won Session Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2019, and has been nominated previously in over a dozen other categories including composer, tutor, album, live act and more. After graduating in Astronomy and Music in Glasgow he was awarded a scholarship to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. As well as teaching wooden flute at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), Hamish has taught at colleges, universities, music camps and festivals throughout Europe and North America. He is on album number four of his Strathspey Pentaology – five albums of new music dedicated to his homeland. The first three albums The River (2016), The Railway (2018) and The Woods (2020) have received 5 star reviews in the national press and Songlines Magazine and have been ‘Album of the Week’ on several BBC Radio programmes. He has performed or recorded with leading Scottish artists such as Duncan Chisholm (Wolfstone), Julie Fowlis, Blue Rose Code, Donald Shaw & Karen Matheson (Capercaillie), Ross Ainslie, Jarlath Henderson and Eddi Reader.
View Hamish’s Website: www.hamishnapier.com
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