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Ben Birdsall’s “Distilleries of Scotland by Vespa” Co-organized by Wittenborg

British writer and painter, Ben Birdsall, recently rounded off his “Scottish Whisky Distilleries Tour by Vespa”. The purpose of the trip was to present the rich Scottish Whisky culture through oil paintings and storytelling, which will be concluded in a book expected to be published by the end of 2011. The book will be titled “Distilleries of Scotland by Vespa”. For his new book Ben toured the Highlands, Orkney, and the Western Isles by vintage Vespa, visiting as many distilleries as possible during an 18-day trip from Edinburgh to Orkney, Speyside to Skye and Islay.

Starting out as a relative novice, his aim was to become a whisky connoisseur, gathering historical notes and getting a grasp of the processes and anecdotes connected with the craft. The trip was co-organized by Wittenborg, involving a student in gathering information and contacting whisky distilleries and whisky clubs. The trip was not-for-profit: all profit generated from this trip will be put into Wittenborg students’ future real-life business projects.

Ben Birdsall was born in West Yorkshire, England, and after graduating, he moved to Italy where he worked in the Australian painter Arthur Boyd’s studio in Tuscany.  Always writing, his play ‘Staggart Lane’ was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987 and in 1995 his novel ‘Blue Charm’ was published, being shortlisted for the Authors’ Club of Great Britain Best First Novel Award. In 2005 his short screenplay ‘Galatea’ was filmed in Italy by Australian artist, Jamie Boyd.  In 2007, his ‘Tuscany by Vespa’ was published by Arteventbook, which also published ‘Vespa Valdera Tour’ in 2010.  His ‘Umbria by Vespa’ is his latest completed work. Birdsall has exhibited paintings in Italy, Ireland, England and Switzerland, where he lives now with his wife and daughter.

To see more of Ben's work, please click here.