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A sad bit of news ……’the gallery on the corner’ to close

Yesterday evening Nita and I travelled through to Edinburgh to attend what was the final event at ‘the gallery on the corner’.

As you’ll remember this magnificent little gallery was set up by the charity ‘Autism Initiatives Scotland’ back in April 2010. The gallery had a dual purpose; to work as a professional gallery supporting artists affected by autism or other health issues …..in short, the idea was for it to be an inclusive gallery. Its second role was to provide training, in the form of apprenticeships for young people affected by autism. The apprenticeships were based in either the main gallery, learning the retail side of the business or downstairs in the gallery workshops, (learning new creative skills).

art gallery

Gallery on the Corner, Edinburgh

Over the last five and a half years the gallery has performed well and has been very successful……having held numerous exhibitions and trained many young people through its apprenticeship scheme. Some fabulous artists have emerged with the help of the gallery and are going on to develop careers in the arts, whilst others have gone on to college or to do other jobs.

As patron to this gallery, it has been a real privilege to have been part of this (albeit from the side-lines). I have, as you know, been lucky enough to have been invited to show my work in this great gallery and have held two solo shows there ….. the second one being back in August this year. It’s been a great window for my work in Edinburgh and I really appreciate the opportunity.

So then, it was with great disappointment that I learnt a couple of weeks ago that the charity was closing ‘the gallery on the corner’. I really don’t know the reasons for this decision and don’t want to speculate here …..but it seems a great shame after it has done such good work and after all the hard work by the staff, volunteers and trainees over the years. There was a great sense of sadness yesterday evening. That said, the evening was one to celebrate the great work that the gallery has done since 2010 and there is talk of bringing some of the artists together again in the future to hold exhibitions in different venues. This would be great and would be a fitting way to celebrate the success of this unique gallery and project.

Art Gallery

Art from the gallery on the corner

My thanks to everyone at ‘the gallery on the corner’ for their hard work over the years and my very best wishes to you all in your future careers. Thanks finally to all of you who have visited and supported ‘the gallery on the corner’ …..I hope you enjoyed the experience.

Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair 2015 – www.gcaf.co.uk

For anyone living in the Glasgow area, here is a reminder that it is the Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair this weekend.

'Approaching Stob Dubh, Glen coe',. Acrylic & Pastel, 2015, 80 x 80 cm ,

‘Approaching Stob Dubh, Glen Coe’

A few months ago I was contacted by a new gallery called the “Ailsa Gallery” and asked if I’d like to exhibit some work with them on their stand at the new Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair.  This is a great opportunity to get my work seen by a large number of people and to introduce it to a new audience, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how it goes.  The event previews on Friday evening and is open on Saturday 25th April and Sunday 26th April.   Although I’m very busy working at the moment, I’m hoping to get to see the fair for a few hours.  It’s always interesting seeing the wide range of work on display ……checking out the opposition!   Anyway, if you live in or around Glasgow, do pop along to see the work.  You can find out all the details by visiting www.gcaf.co.uk .

I’ve been madly painting away over the last couple of weeks, trying to get some new paintings completed ready for my exhibition with the John Muir Trust at their “Wild Space” gallery in Pitlochry…..starting on May 1st and running until June 29th 2015.  It’s all coming on quite well although I can’t believe its April 21st already ….where has all the time gone?!

'Snow shower, below the east ridge of Ben Lui', Acrylic & Pastel, 2012, 80 x 80 cm,

‘Snow shower, below the east ridge of Ben Lui’

Nita and I also drove through to Edinburgh last week to swap over some work at “the gallery on the corner”.  It was great getting over there again as what with one thing and another; we haven’t visited since August last year.  The gallery of course, looked fantastic and they had a very nice range of work on show.  With gallery manager Susie off for quite a few months, it’s been left in the very able hands of her assistant Paul to run the show.  Hats off to him, he is doing a great job and doing the gallery, its artists and the charity that run it, (Autism Initiatives Scotland) ….proud.   Anyway, well done Paul….. and enjoy your well earned holiday soon.  While there we discussed my forthcoming exhibition at the gallery.  This will preview on August 7th I think, and run until the end of the month.  I’ll be posting far more information about this exhibition nearer the time.  As far as I know, the exhibition will coincide with the Edinburgh Festival…. so hopefully we’ll get a lot of visitors through the door.

'Breaking mists, Isle of Arran', Acrylic & Pastel, 80 x 80 cm

‘Breaking mists, Isle of Arran’

That’s about it for now…… I need to pick up the paint brush again!  Just one final bit of news though.  The annual “Open Studios Ayrshire” event takes place this weekend too.  I’m not taking part myself this year as I’m just too busy.  However, this is a great event and there are many Ayrshire artists and makers taking part this year and so it’s a fabulous opportunity for anyone living in the region to see some of the fine work being created here in Ayrshire.  For full details of the event, visit: www.openstudiosayrshire.com  .

Whatever you do this weekend, be it visiting the Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair,   doing a trail around Ayrshire studios or simply putting your feet up ……have a great time.

Glasgow Art Fair, 2015

A week in the life of …

'From Beinn Inverveigh, October', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 60 x 60 cm

'From Beinn Inverveigh, October'

Saturday 23rd January

The main aim of the day was to try and get a painting finished.  I’ve been working on two pieces that I plan to exhibit at the Strathearn Gallery in Creiff as part of the Jolomo Awards 2009 Finalists exhibition.  This opens on Saturday 13th February and the work has to be delivered a week before.  So not long!  I’d completed the first piece the week before but this second piece was causing me a few problems.  However, before I could start painting there was the small matter of meeting the Pest control man who we’d contacted the day before after hearing some ominous scratching and movement in the studio walls and loft spaces.  It appears that while we were away from the building due to the frozen pipes, some furry friends have moved in.  Great!  By the end of the day the painting still wasn’t completed.

Sunday 24th January

So back to it again.  The painting in question is based on the view I had over to the hills of the Blackmount from the relative warmth of Rannoch Moor.  I’d been watching the bad weather through the monocular and it seemed an excellent subject for a painting.  Easier said than done sometimes but by the end of the evening I had the piece finally finished.  In the end, although it had caused me problems, I’m quite pleased with it and am looking forward to seeing it in a frame and on the wall.  Mind you, I was working on this picture for almost ten days!

'Winter, Blackmount', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 76 x 23 cm

'Winter, Blackmount', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 76 x 23 cm

Monday 25th January

Of course as I’ve said before, being a painter isn’t just about doing paintings …oh if that were only  the case.  We’ve been in the process of up-grading this website … as hopefully you’ve noticed.  Well, that of course means someone else doing the actual work on the site, but I’ve had to do quite a bit of work on the computer for this too.  The new works on the website are now shown much better with larger clearer images and more information about each painting.  So then, Monday morning started with a session on the computer, sorting images and writing details etc.  As anyone who’s visually impaired will know, using a PC can be quite time consuming and frustrating.  I use a screen magnifier mostly but of course I have to have the magnification so high I can only see a very small portion of the screen at any one time.  Suffice to say, I started work at 07.30 and by 11.00 I’d got some things done …but not much.  Added to this, my computer crashed in the middle of everything and I can honestly say it wasn’t the best starts to the day!

It did improve once down the studio and  as well as getting some interesting small drawings done I also got the painting I’d finished the day before, into it’s frame….and it looks great …he said modestly!

Tuesday 26th January

A slightly different day ….I’ve been asked by the Edinburgh based charity Autism Initiatives Scotland to become one of their patrons for a new project they’re starting in the city.   I had arranged to meet three of the people responsible for setting up and running the project, and to learn more of it and about my role as a patron.  More in detail in another blog but suffice to say that the project involves creating a working gallery through which people affected by autism can undertake apprenticeships in both the creative business sides of the gallery.  The meeting went very well and later we were taken to see the building that is to be the gallery.  It’s a wonderful building in a superb location in the heart of the gallery district on the edge of the city centre.  I’m very excited and delighted to have been asked to be involved in it.  Back in Irvine by 17.30 …and back on the computer for several more hours.

Wednesday 27th January

After another lengthy session on the computer, this time working on information requested by the Scottish Arts Circle, I then received an email from Germany informing me that I’d been selected for the 2010 Speyer Artists Scholarship.  Wow!  I’d applied back in January last year and didn’t really hold out much hope …but there you go ..if you don’t apply …etc etc.  More details in another blog …but basically it means I’ll be living and working in a purpose built house and studio in the centre of the historic and beautiful city of Speyer for the four months May – August.  What a great opportunity and chance to export a little bit of contemporary Scottish landscape painting into Europe.   Despite the elation at hearing this news, it was back to the studio and work through to 20.00.

Thursday 28th January

A whole day on the computer …getting images ready and sent to the Strathearn Gallery for their website.  Also a CV and statement. Emails to read, emails to answer.  We’ve just set up a link with Facebook and already have 20 plus fans (are you one?).  I finished my marathon session on the computer (about 10 hours and boggled eyes) by trying to learn my way around the Facebook website … I’m feeling a bit old!

Friday 29th ..today

Well, it’s 09.30 and I’ve been working at this keyboard for the last two hours.  Almost finished here so I plan to get a full days painting in.  Nita will pick me up when she finishes work at 20.00 …and then I think we’ll both deserve a pint!  Signing off … a rather frazzled artist!