I FOCUS ON: DUMFRIES+GALLOWAY/

Angelo Lawrence, 'Gollov,oy Light, Galloway Skies', oil (Ciience Studio, Castle Douglas)

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+ OUmfRI8S & G 3l l0'113~ HaS a RICH aR TISTIC

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MARCH/APRIL 2013

Tucked away in Scotland's southwest corner, Dumfries & Galloway is often

overlooked by visitors for more celebrated parts of the country. No doubt some residents prefer it that way, so that they are left alone to enjoy its rolling hills. undulating fields, rugged moorland and wooded glens, not to mention the spectacular coastline of the Solway Firth w ith its picturesque fishing harbours. rocky shores, stout cliffs and sprawling low-t ide mudf lats

It all sounds like an art ist's dream landscape, which is why Dumfries & Galloway has been a magnet for artists for years. Most have depicted it through traditional subjects

and styles, while a few have taken a more mnovative approach to express how it has inspired them

Clusters of artists and craftmakers have gathered around it s main towns, while others are scat t ered around the region in relative sec lusion. Grassroots art and craft groups stage regular exhibitions of their work, while others get together in twos and

threes to put on some of the most eclect ic select ions you' ll find anywhere.

Punctuating this year-round activity are major exhibitions and events which galvanise and reinvigorate the art community and remind visitors of the rich cultural heritage of one of Scotland's most creative areas. Art mag hit t he road to catch the scene.

CASTLE DOUGLAS A walk along King Street, the main shopp ing thoroughfare in Cast le Douglas, takes in several galleries showcasing regional art ist s and craftmakers

Adjacent to the local library, the Ca:;tle Douglas Art Gallery is a renta l space used for regular exhibitions by local artist s and art groups, while Designs Gallery, which also incorporates a shop and cafe, shows regional and international artists in changing exh ibit ions along with a selection of jewellery, sculpture, ceramics and stud io glass. www.designsgal lery.co.uk

At the Clience Studio, owner Angela

Volene Sadler, 'Meodowsweep ', (Whitehouse Gallery)

atmospheric landscapes, and t he Solway Coast. www.cliencestudio.co.uk

place t o up a unique gif t run by Galloway Craft

Gui ld, has craftvvo rk produced by 55 Dumf ries & Galloway-based crattmakers www.ga llowaycraftguild .co.uk

The Galloway Photographic Collective. wh ich inc ludes some o f t he m ost prom inerlt

photogra phers in sou t hwest has secured a new home to

showcase its membe rs ' work in the Workshop Gallery. a convert ed space on the premises of A_ D Livingston Ei Sons anti que

restore rs and fu rn itu re makers www.gallowayphotocollective.co.uk

At the e r] d of t he st reet the McGill Duncan Gallery has f ive exh ibit ion spaces on two floors with a beaut iful of fi ne art. pottery and glass, permanent collection of 19th t o early cent ury Gal loway pa int ings www. mcgillduncangallery .~om

DUMFRIES Named after the daught er of a Gaelic prince, Devorgil la Gallery has or iginals and print s displayed in t hree spaces spread over two floors with a w ide rang e of abst ract s

art landscapes and sti ll lifes in orig inals and print s. Coming The

Colour of Sp r1 ng (Mar 29-Apr 27). George Birre ll and Davy Brown alongside some of the ga llery's some who are new to www.devorgi llagallery.co.uk

Run by Dumfries & Gallm.vay Counci l, Gracefield Arts Centre houses a collection or over 400 Scottish pain tings and holds

FOCUS ON DUMFRIES+GALLOWAY/ I

Tom a·snonter in Kirkudbnght (Kirkcudbnghr Town Hoff)

international artists and craftmake rs. This year's highlights inc lude: Loca ti ng the Nest a co llaboration bet ween wi llow weaver Li zz ie Farey and Hugtl and w riter Tom t he

Ea rdley covering al l aspects of the

renowned accompanied by photographs by her f riend Lady Audrey Walker (May 25-Aug 24) www.dumgal.gov. uk/gracefield

Arti st Julie Hollis works f rom her studio at Cloud 9 Ga ll ery, f ind a const ant ly changing of her works inspired by t he natural beauty of Dumfr ies and Galloway, some vag ue images. others in meticulous deta il. www.cloud9gallery.co.uk

KIRKCUDBRIGHT It's not diffi cult to see why has ea rned its name of The Art ists' . as emblazoned on the road sign wh ich greet s visitors . One of the most attract ive small t owns in Scotl and. it s t hriving artist s' co lony owes it s to a group of pa inters. includ ing Boys and the Scottish Colourists, who in the area over a 30-year per iod from 1880 to 1910

Among t hem were some of the most prominent names in Scottish art such as Samuel Pep loe, Francis Cadel l, George Henry. Jess ie M. King :md FA HornPI. w hose fo rmer home, Broughton House, IS a living museum of his life and work

Many of the arti st s were adopting t he new practice of painting 'en plein ai r', influenced by French Impressionism, and like t heir French count erparts head ing for rural

advantage of t he town's

were t o be found, cou ld be reached as eas ily as Par is f rom the

many of them concea ling art ists'

For an exce llent introduction 1nto Kirkcudbr ight's history as an artists' haven head fo r the Tolboot h Art Cent re, f ormerly ttl e debtors' prison in the 17th Tolbooth . (One of its most f<J mous was John Paul Jones, Navy.) Here you c<Jn see J short fi lm telli ng t he st o ry of the town's earl ier artists . There is also a perma nent disp lay of some of the 1r paintings and a ful l prog ramme of

continued p38

of her po ttery business

MARCH/APR IL 201 3

I FOCUS ON DUMFRIES+GALLOWAY/ continued from p3 7

exhibitions put on by today's local artists. In the heart of Kirkcudbright High St

Gallery exhibits a variety of work. Scottish contemporary art is represented by the likes of Peter Howson, John Bellany, Pam Carter, George Birrell. Jolomo, Hazel Campbell and Douglas Davies. There is Scottish fine art works. particularly by Kirkcudbright artists of the past such as Jessie M. King and E.A Taylor, decorative arts and collectables (Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Arts & Crafts) and hand-made designer jewellery. Throughout 2013 there is a series of group exhibitions by gallery artists, some of whose work can also t>P <;een at the nearby Selk irk Arms Hotel, which offers painting holidays and other art­rela ted packages. www.highstgallery.co.uk: www.selkirkarmshotel.co.uk

Opened in 2004, the Whitehouse Gallery is one of the leading contemporary galleries in southwest Scotland. The light, airy space specialises in loca l and Scottish art alongside work by other UK artists. There are five

MARCH/APRIL 2013

mixed exhibitions a year combining both established names and emerging talents. The shows are usually themed, such as the Spring Exhibition, a celebration of colour with a particular emphasis on flower work (Mar 2-Apr 27), Horizons, with the focus on landscapes and seascapes (May 4-Jun 22) and Country Pursuits, dedicated to the countryside and its inhabitants (Aug 21-0ct 26). www.whitehousegallery.com

A great idea: Kirk:cudbright Picture Framers have handed out 75 free. gesso""'­prepared boards ready to paint directly onto with acrylics or oils. Aspiring artists wondering if their works would sell in an exhibition are now painting their pictures, which they'll take back to be framed free of charge and displayed in a summer exhibition. All the paintings will be priced £85, and artists get to keep the sales proceeds less commission. If works don't sell. the artists get to keep them. *o white point mixture www.ki rkcudbrightpictureframers.com

By the River Dee as it enters t he harbour_ the Left Bank: Gallery has a wide selection of ;:ut, ['lhotogr~phy, rw.:=~mlr<:, wooe1wor k", textiles and jewellery and stages a series of exhibitions by Scottish artists. www.leftbankgallery.co.uk

EVENTS Perhaps more responsible than any other event for highlighting the quantity end quality of artistic talen t in Dumfries & Galloway is Spring Fling, Scotland's largest open studios, when artists and craftmakers open their studio d(X)rs and invite visitors in to discover where and how they create their work. It's a great opportunity to explore this

lovely part of Scotland This year over 90 professional artists will

offer visitors the chance to get behind the scenes of artistic practice. experience artists and makers demonstrating and explain ing their processes and inspirations - and, of course. buy a unique piece of art or craft.

To help you get around, you can

download the Spring Fling smart phone app or j ust pick up an old fashioned brochure and map. You can also studio-hop the green way on one of t he guided Spring Fling Magical Mystery Bus tours, bike rides or walking tours. May 25-27, www. spring-fling.co.uk

The 'Artists' Town· celebrates its artistic heritage at the tenth annual Kirkcudbright Art & Crafts Trait when you can visit about 80 venues by meandering through streets, closes, hidden studios and secret gardens not normally open to the public Aug 2-4, www.artandcraftstrai l.co.uk

Art and craft are always well represented at the region-wide Dumf ries & Galloway Arts Festival. which this yedr celebrJtes its 34l h ye<Jr. For the festival launch new media Jrtists Helson and JJckets have creJted an eight-metre orb, 'Liminal' which will be placed in the bay near Gatehouse Of Fleet where moving images will be projected onto it to create a spectacular w raparound visual arts installation. May 24-Jun 2, www.dgartsfestiva l.org.uk

The big summer exhibition in Kirkcudbright takes place at Kirkcudbright Town Hall, which in previous years staged shows on The Glasgow Boys, The Glasgow Girls, Monet and The Fleming Collection. This year's offering. the thirteenth, is Tam o'Shanter in Kirkcudbright (Jun 29-Aug 26), which features a selection of paintings on loan f rom the Rozelle House Galleries in Ayr from the cycle by Alexander Goudie illustrating Burns' epic poem

LEFT: Joan Eardley, 'Brion and Pot Samson· (Groce{ield Arts Centre, Dumfries)

~ l ltN~ t STUD IO/

ONGOING

ANGELA LAWRENCE This welcoming gallery and studio in t he main street of Castle Douglas shows paintings as well as prints and art gifts by owner Angela Lawrence. Seascapes and landscapes of Galloway are a principal subject. but other locations. such as t he Western Isles and imagined places, also feature

The sea itself is a recurrent theme, for which Angela won a Visua l Arts Award. Her paintings are in oil and occasionally watercolou r and have an immediacy wh ich bri ngs t he f reshness and atmosphere of both country and coast inside.

Angela is commissioned and exhibits w idely, including at the Royal Glasgow Institute of t he Fine Arts annua l exhibitions, Paisley Art Institute and Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries. She is partic ipating in Dumfries and Galloway's Spring Fling Open Studio event for her tenth year in May with a new series based on a Galloway coastal walk.

CLIENCE STUDIO, 212 KING ST., CASTLE DOUGLAS, DG7 1 DS, T 01 SS6 50431 8, MON-SAT 10.30AM·SPM, WWW.CUENCESTUDIO.CO.UK

OtVOR Gi llA GA ll tR Y/

MARCH 29-APRI L 27

THE COLOUR OF SPRING This collaborat ive exhibition celebrat es moving from the cool colours of winter 1nto the brighter shades of a glorious Scottish spring. Leading contemporary artists George Birrell and Daniel Campbell have prepared a selection of new work for the show, and they will be joined by a select1on of other Scottish CJrtists.

John Young of Devorgilla Gallery says: "We chose the theme of colour for our spring exhibition. because a strong and confident use of colour is something that all of Devorgilla Gallery's artists excel at, with George Birrell and Dc::.nny Campbell in particular being well known for their colourfuL vibrant scenes."

"Coming out of a dark, dreary winler. an injection of colour through inspirat ional paintings is t ru ly energising and I'm very much looking forward to these new works signalling the start of a bright colourful 201 r

Also introducing: Following strong demand for Onele Bronze figures last year, Devorgilla Gallery is expanding its selection of bronzes, introducing Richard Cooper & Co limited edition solid bron7e figures as well as Butler & Peach fine bronze figures.

DEVORGILLA GALLERY, 2 ACADEMY ST., DUMFR IES, DG1 1BY, T 01387 256 444. THUR·SAT 10AM·4PM.

WWW.DEVORGILLAGALLERY.CO.UK

DUMFRIES+ GALLOWAY/I

hi!Jh st. g ~ llery K I 1\ K C U D B 1\ I G H T

SCOTTISH CONTEMPORARY ART KIRKCUDBRIGHT FINE ART

DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTABLES

JEWELLERY

84 High Street Kirkcudbright DG6 4Jl t: 01557 ll l 660

Open: 10-S, lues, Weds, Frid, lat. 11-S, Sun. Closed Mon, lhurs

e: contact@ highstgallery.co.uk www.highstgallery.co. uk

Daniel Campbell_ 'Golden Birches'

MARCH/APRIL 2013

w CD

I DUMFRIES + GALLOWAY/

Kirkcudbright PICTURE FRAMERS

• Friendly bespoke framing service

• Origi nal paintings and pri nts

• Oriele Bronze

sculptures

14 St Mary Street. Kirkcudbright DG6 4DN

Telephone OISS7 339212 W'A'w.kirkcudbrightpictureframers.com

r r .. 1Oth February - 3 1th March 2013

11 am - 4.30pm daily Meet the Artist 17th Mar l 2-4pm

Creative Sound Lab 2nd and 3rd March 2013

The Moffat Gal lery

21 Well Road, Moffnt DG J 0 9AR +44 (0} 7968801 178

info@themoffatgallery.co.uk

0 For fu rther information please see; "<::;t www.themoffatgallery.co.uk

MARCH/APRIL 2013

. 't~ Dumfnes~l

& G<Jitoway

An exhibition by Hugh Bryden, Lizzie Farey and Tom Pow

16 March- 18 May Tues- Sat 1 Oam-Spm

28 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries DG1 1 JQ

01387 262084 • www.dumgal.gov.uklgracefield

TH RtAV t tSTAH SCU lPT URt GAR OtN /

The Sculpture Garden at Threave Garden is dedicated to the work of sculptors born, trained or working

in Scot_land. The work~ range _from Ronald Rae 'St Francis' granite figurat1ve t o abstract m a vanety of ' ' materials, including aluminium, Cararra marble, eco-friendly concrete, stones and resins

The great thing about Threave Garden is that it is never static. Areas are always being developed and new features and works of art added, such as t he five tiny bats skating across the pool

This year a sunken Mediterranean garden is being finished and will feature artist ­designed panels with images inspired by Threave·s heritage, wildlife and diversity of fl ora . Other pieces dotted around are inspired by the garden or it s surroundings:.

One of t he most exciting exhibits. however. is the magni flcent. six-ton granite sculpt ure 'St Francis', on loan by the artist Ronald Rae

The sculpture garden at Threave Estate invites individuals with skills in raising funds, developing contacts, administration and proj ect management to participate on a volunteer, internship or work placement basis tc get in touch.

Threave Estate is under the stewardship of the National Trust for Scot land

THREAVE ESTATE & GARDEN, CASTLE DOUGLAS, DG7 1 RX. T 01 S56 S0257S. DAllY 10AM-SPM. WWW.NTS.ORG.UK

THt WHIHHOUSt GAlltRY/

MARCH 2·APRIL 27

SPRI NG EXHIBITION This annual themed show is a celebration of colou r, featuring a mix of fine art and craft with a special emphasis on flower work .

Fine artists include the uwurd-winn ing po inter Morag Muir, whose works often fe"t ure do mestic objccb :;uch u:; flo wer::;, textiles and bric u brae, u:>uu lly with un ethnic influence. This will be the first time Morag has shown with The Whitehouse Gallery.

The exhibition also feature5 still life and flower paintings by Valerie Sadler_ Fiona Millar. Jennifer Mackenzie. lngebjorg Smith. Deborah Phillips, Victor Henderson, Brenda Lenaghan RSW, Suzan Malcolm and Andy Cross.

Applied art and craft includes a silver and enamel jewellery collection by the much celebrated designer Sheila McDonald MA RCA as well as Linda Lovatt's jewellery and framed assemblages featuring verdrigris copper, broken china and found objects combined to create beautiful wall pieces.

There will also be a collection of earthenware ceramics by Karen McPhail and much more. Prev iew Opening Sat Mar 2 f rom 11am, including a glass of bubbly and hand-made chocolates

The Whitehouse Gallery participates in the Own Art scheme.

DUMFRIFS I GALLOWAY/ I

Morag Muir; 'Flares ond o Ponytail'

THE WHITEHOUSE GALLERY, 47 STMARY'S ST., KIRKCUDBRIGHT, DG6 4DU, T 01557 330223, MON-SAT 10AM-S PM.

Scotta,nd's Premier Art and Craft Open Studios Event

. '(I'} Dumfnes l!!mf' l

~• «.to..&".. & Galloway

MA RCH/A PRIL 20 13