The Alphabet Angel
Sculpture by Ross Wilson 2003-2004

The sculpture contains much symbolism and meaning as outlined below.

The Angel carries upon his back a Backpack with Hearts. It contains the forgotten words, phrases, meanings, the redemption of language and the reality of dreams. Being carried between the twinned hearts of Ulster-Scots. The first Heart represents the heart of the land, the soul of the place. The second Heart represents the heart of the people, the spirit of the language. Around his waist the Angel has a Belt Pouch containing the renewed contemporary currency of an ancient spoken tongue. Upon this rests a Thistle Icon representing the close affinities and shared cultural traditions between Scotland and Ulster. In his right hand he holds a Capital Letter A, a symbol of the Alpha, the beginning of communication and the origins of word making, both spiritual and oral. In his left, a Trumpet which heralds and calls for recognition and awareness of the unique sound and rhythm of the Ulster-Scots tongue.

Ross Wilson is an artist and lives and works in Northern Ireland. He graduated with a first class honours degree in Fine Art from the University of Ulster, and went on to receive his Masters from the prestigious Chelsea School of Art, London. He believes that an artist can be rural based yet still operate within the International Art World. Since 1980 he has had 30 solo exhibitions and has been included in many important collections worldwide. He has been a guest speaker at both Harvard and Oxford Universities. 1997 saw Ross Wilson’s first public sculpture commission in bronze being placed at the Waterfront Hall Belfast. In 2004 Ross, in partnership with the residents of Dundarave Bushmills created the Ulster Scots Sculpture, The Alphabet Angel, the first sculpture of its kind in the world to mark the importance and relevance of the Ulster Scots tongue. The sculpture has now been adopted as the logo for the Bushmills Ulster Scots Heritage group.