Ceres – Portrait of a Village Book Review.
The picturesque Fife village of Ceres is well ‘in the frame’ with the March 2026 publication of Ceres – Portrait of a Village by Graham Bennison.
Bennison, a Ceres resident for twenty years, now resides in nearby Foodieash but retains strong links with Ceres through his artwork, notably linocut designs of the village. Many artists visited and worked in Ceres during the early twentieth century including two of the four Scottish Colourists, George Leslie Hunter and Samuel J Peploe. Arriving in the village in 1987, a lifetime background in art encouraged Bennison to learn more about the ‘Ceres artists.’ In 1997 following thirty-three years in education, the retired Headteacher found time to paint and study Scottish art. [SB2] A blog ‘Some of the Artists who Visited Ceres’ published in 2020 attracted 770 views with several Ceres residents suggesting that a book could be a good idea. Bennison initially resisted but now coming into his 80th year, relented and in 2025 intensified his efforts into more research efforts. The result is a detailed study of the ‘Ceres artists’ pitched alongside Bennison’s reminiscences of his family life in the village.
The book, printed by the University of St Andrews Print and Design team, is awash with pictures of the village and artwork. Published by Jenny Rooney, the design of the fifty-one pages is an artwork in its own right. Rooney resides in Great Bardfield, Essex: a village that was an art haven and the home of Edward Bawden, Eric Ravilious, John Aldridge and many eminent twentieth century artists. Graham Bennison will be selling copies of the book alongside his own artwork of Ceres at the Open Studios North Fife on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of May 2026, at Venue 40, Beechbank, Foodieash.
The book printed in a booklet format (£10) can also be purchased by emailing: bennyelmwood@yahoo.co.uk
Artistic Horizons 