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Posts Tagged ‘Edinburgh Festival’

North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition 2015

It’s that time of year again when the annual North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition takes place.  , I entered one of my scribbled pastel drawings and one of my more traditional 80 x 80 cm acrylic and pastel paintings.  Both I’m pleased to say, have been selected for the exhibition.   A quick look through the catalogue this morning  revealed a good turn out from the Courtyard Studios artists this year  as well as work by several former Courtyard Studios artists.  The exhibition preview is tomorrow evening starting at 7.30 pm and it takes place at the Racquet Hall in Eglinton Country Park, Kilwinning.  The exhibition then runs for two weeks.   Being an open exhibition with over 100 works on display, there is always something for everyone and it makes for an enjoyable visit…..especially so if you add on a wander through the beautiful surrounding parkland while you’re there.

'Breaking mists on Mam na Gualainnt', on display at the North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition

‘Breaking mists on Mam na Gualainnt’, on display at the North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition

The last two weeks have been a strange mix for me.  I’ve spent many days working in the studio.  I have quite a lot of different things on the go at the moment which is nice.  I’ve got back to using oil colour again and have been working on three different canvases, all of which I started last year and then put to one side.    I’m also creating nine new small size (210 x 148 mm) graphite drawings for my forthcoming exhibition in Edinburgh in August.  Busy, busy, busy!

Last Thursday Nita and I drove up to Pitlochry to collect the work at the end of my exhibition at the John Muir Trust wild Space.  It was a good experience showing work there and although I only sold one painting, my gift cards sold well ….so as a way of marketing my work and introducing my paintings to a wider audience, it was very successful.  The Wild Space is right on the main street in Pitlochry and close to where all the coaches park up.  As such the centre gets a large number of visitors both UK and from abroad and so a lot of people will have seen my work for the first time.  Anyway, a big thank you to Jane Grimley (JMT Wild Space Manager) and her staff for making me so welcome and for inviting me to show my work with the John Muir Trust.   To find out more about the John Muir Trust and the important work it does, visit:  www.jmt.org

I’ve just received an email from my colleague Dan Thornton, the photographer and film maker based in Seattle.    As you know, he has been making an hour long documentary about my work and we are now in the process of raising the funds to get the editing done.  I’ve donated seven paintings and some prints which are now with Dan in Seattle and he is setting up an auction and publicity event to raise awareness of the project.  He is also setting up a kick starter campaign for the same purpose and this should be underway around the start of August.  I’ll obviously post more details nearer the time.

The next big project for me is my exhibition at “the gallery on the corner” in Edinburgh.  I’ll be showing something in region of 30 pieces of work I think and the exhibition preview is on August 7th 2015.  The exhibition then runs until 29th August.  I’m really looking forward to this show as the gallery is such a great space.  The exhibition is on during the Edinburgh Festival so if you’re in the city, you could take a well earned breather from all the festival shows and enjoy looking at some peaceful, quiet paintings of the Scottish Highlands.  Full details of this exhibition to follow shortly.

 One other plan for the not too distant future is to visit the arts centre in Dumfries.  My partner Nita is making some great pieces in porcelain and we are starting to think about holding an exhibition together.  A colleague has suggested we look at the arts centre down in Dumfries as a possible venue for the show…..so, early days but visiting the centre would start the process.  More on this project as things develop.

Sadly we haven’t been able to get out walking since our trip to Glen Douglas the other week but I’m hopeful we can make it out sometime soon.  Fingers crossed, I’m starting to get withdrawal symptoms again!

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