Brothers Fraser and Calum Brownlee raised a glass in tribute to their late father, well-known Dundee publican Jimmy Brownlee, after both graduating with first-class honours degrees in fine art from Dundee University on Thursday.
Fraser, 23, and Calum, 21, studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and won several prizes for their undergraduate work, which culminated in an acclaimed joint exhibit at the college’s Degree Show last month.
Their work, whose themes included brotherhood, saw them acknowledge their father with a tag bearing the words “this is for our old man” burned into the ceiling of the gallery.
Following the graduation ceremony at the Caird Hall, the brothers and their family and friends retired to the Trades House Bar, where Fraser works, to celebrate their achievement.
He said: “Dad would have been very proud of us and we obviously wish more than anything that he could have been with us.
“He was always really supportive of our art and was very encouraging. He liked all the weird stuff we did, so that helped.
“It’s an emotional day. We felt his absence but this is for him as well.”
With publican’s blood in their veins their grandfather built the Planet Bar in Lochee that Jimmy ran for many years before his death last year it is no surprise the brothers ended up pulling pints themselves to supplement their income during their studies.
Calum is a barman at the Speedwell Bar, known as Mennies, in Perth Road.