- SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD, FIRST BOOK AWARD 2023 - - SHORTLISTED FOR THE HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE 2022 - - SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BIOGRAPHY AWARD 2022 - 'An unexpected page-turner' The Scotsman 'A fascinating book with a warm mix of anecdote, autobiography, and high art. The small vignettes about artists and their work are fantastic, and it is especially interesting on arts culture and class systems in the Highlands. An engaging read that gives many new insights.' Peter Mackay, The Highland Book Prize, 2022 'The book is surreal and magical, painting in jewel colours a lost world of eccentrics and artistic endeavour.' The Inverness Courier 'A multifaceted portrait of an inspiring Scotland, an eccentric art world, and an entertaining author. A compelling and thought-provoking read that turned my porridge into a bowl of surreal.' Kevin MacNeil, author of The Brilliant & Forever This is the story of a young, ambitious art dealer who transformed an unused rural church in Inverness-shire into one of the country's top commercial art galleries. It begins with the enigmatic Black Allan opening the door of an abandoned kirk in rural Inverness-shire and follows with its shoestring-budget adaption to a new life, and it ends with an environmental call for change - a call for awakening. Along the way, as Tony grows the gallery, we travel across Scotland and are introduced to the rarely seen world of Scottish artists. It suggests the purpose and beauty of what they do, and shows, with brilliant storytelling, one way to survive quarter of a century of rapid change. This is Tony Davidson's debut book.