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The city of Edinburgh is a hub for the Scottish art scene, hosting a wide variety of local art galleries, which provide space and exposure to some of Scotland’s most talented artists.
This week we were on a mission to explore as many local art galleries as possible, and explore the array of festive exhibitions that are currently on display. Where better to start than Dundas Street in Edinburgh's New Town!
Open Eye Gallery:
Opening Times – Tuesday-Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 11am-4pm
Open Eye Gallery sits on the corner between Dundas Street and Abercromby Place. This venue is an immediate delight, with vibrant and thought-provoking pieces grabbing you as soon as you walk through the door. The gallery offers an “extensive and varied exhibition programme of Scottish contemporary painting, printmaking and applied arts throughout the year.” (Via Open Eye Gallery website).
Alex Malcolmson – ‘Veering North’
Alex Malcolmson incorporates nautical and natural elements into his work through the techniques of painting and sculpture, to create his magnificent box constructions. Malcolmson, who is originally from Shetland, studied painting and print making at the Edinburgh College of Art.
"Often the work is driven by a desire to create something that hovers in the area between the object itself and the illusion that is possible within a frame." (Via Open Eye Gallery)
James McNaught - A Showcase
Glasgow born James McNaught paints buildings and street scenes, mysterious figures and other narrative elements in fictional combinations. Over the years he has won a multitude of awards, including the Royal Scottish Academy painting award in 1970 and the Sir William Gillies Award at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour in 2010.
Malcolmson and McNaught's work will be part of the festive exhibition which will run from the 25th November to the 23rd December 2023.
GalleryInstagram - openeyegallerye
Artists' Instagram - alex.malcolmson
&Gallery:
Opening Times - Tuesday-Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 11am-4pm
& Gallery is a bright and open space which hosts a great variety of contemporary, visual art all year round. It presents a multitude of solo exhibitions, along with some group shows. Their showcases typically comprise of “abstract and minimal painting, drawing and sculpture by artists at various stages in their career.” (&Gallery website).
Joan Doerr - 'Into the Light'
Glasgow born Joan Doerr is hosting her second solo exhibition with the gallery, and her work is a collection of intuitive pieces that she has created by applying layer upon layer of acrylic paint to canvas, linen or board. She often removes paint to achieve the desired finish, which adds some real depth to her work.
“I am inspired by many things; old maps, faded shop signs and street signs from days of old; shadows, old buildings-including ones in the process of demolition. Also, shapes, colours, textures. It can be something that I spot when I’m out and about or something I see on television or in a magazine.” (Jean Doerr).
Unfortunately Joan Doerr's exhibition concludes on the 29th November, however you can find her work online at www.joandoerr.com.
&Gallery's Annual Winter Exhibition will run from the 2nd-23rd December 2023.
Gallery Instagram: andgallery_
Artist Instagram - Joan_doerr_artist
Harvey & Woodd:
Opening Times - Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 11am-4pm
Harvey and Woode is ran by husband-and-wife team, James and Flora Harvey, who have brought their “expertise and modernising ideas to this much-revered space. The gallery is a captivating space, showcasing a beautiful and eye-catching selection of traditional and contemporary pieces.
Sarah Cemmick - 'Creatures from the Land, Sea & Sky'
After graduating with a degree in Environmental Illustration in 1996, Cemmick began printmaking full time. Drawing on traditional techniques, she pulls her prints using linseed oil ink, adding additional texture with watercolour.
"The current collection of work is inspired by the seasons and the botanical elements to match each month through the year."
(Via Harvey and Woode)
This exhibition will be running from the 10th November – 22nd December 2023.
GalleryInstagram: harveyandwoodd
Artist Instagram: sarahcemmicklinocuts
The Dundas Street Gallery X Colin Maxwell Bryce:
Opening Times - Vary depending on the exhibition
Dundas Street Gallery is a pop-up space which can be rented out by artists for periods of time to showcase their work.
When we visited the gallery, we were lucky to meet the talented photographer Colin Maxwell Bryce, who is graduate from the Edinburgh College of Art, and a fellow from the Chartered Society of Designers and a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society. In this exhibition, Colin’s work transports his audience from the pavements of Edinburgh to Fisherrow harbour, and even as far as the landscapes of Chile and the Atacama Desert, with the aim to “intrigue, delight and inform” his audience.
Unfortunately, Colin’s exhibit has now ended however you can view his work online at cmbryce.com.
Instagram: colinmaxwellbryce
The Fine Art Society:
Opening Times - Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 11am-2pm
The Fine Art Society is a spacious gallery where the selection of pieces flow elegantly from the first to the second floor. Specializing in Scottish art and sculpture from the 1700s onwards, the organization is proud of their well renowned reputation which is based on market knowledge and their close relationships with museums and institutions around the world.
Ron Sandford – ‘The Everyday, Every Day’
Ron Sandford, originally from Shetland, draws on his experiences living in Hong Kong and his travels around Italy.
"His paintings communicate his lived experiences of these culturally and geographically distinct environments through commonplace items, often before deftly captured backgrounds." (Via The Fine Art Society)
Tim Pomeroy – ‘Metamorphosis’
Based on the Isle of Arran, artist Tim Pomeroy "heightens the organic geometries of the natural world, by picking out and amplifying features" (Via The Fine Art Society). Through the process of carving, smoothing and refining, Pomeroy transforms materials such as marble, slate, granite, clay, wood and gold into small in scale; personal, ritual objects.
These exhibitions will be running from the 10th November – 22nd December 2023.
GalleryInstagram - thefineartsoc
Artist Instagram - Tim.pomeroy
The Scottish Gallery:
Opening Times - Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 11am-2pm
Open since 1842, the Scottish Gallery is a bright and spacious two-floor art gallery that strives to provide a personalised experience to clients. They display original artwork and host a multitude of exhibitions by both local and international artists, who present variety of inspiration and style.
John Brown - 'The Kasbah and Souks of Marrakech'
John Brown's work can be identified by the rich and vibrant choice of palette and varied choice of media, where he pushes "imagery towards abstraction." This exhibition was inspired by his time in Marrakech, Morrocco. Following the horrifying earthquake in 2023, Brown created a special collection, where all proceeds in collaboration with the Morrocco Earthquake Appeal for the British Red Cross.
Euan Heng - 'Archipelago'
Scottish sailor turned artist Euan Heng, who has made his art career what it is today over in Australia, is known for his "enigmatic and distinctive artwork".
"Archipelago, a paradigm for the distinct experiences which accumulate into the diverse, rich personality of the artist" (Via The Scottish Gallery)
Unfortunately John Brown and Euan Heng's exhibitions have concluded on the 25th November, however you can view his work online at the Scottish Gallery.
The Scottish Gallery's December exhibition will be running until the 23rd December 2023.
Gallery Instagram - Scottishgallery
Artist Instagram - Euan_Heng
The Birchtree Gallery:
Opening Times - Tuesday -Saturday 11am-4pm
Birchtree Gallery opened back in 2017, and has presented over 60 exhibitions displaying a variety of contemporary paintings, original printings and fine crafts (including ceramics, glass, wood, textile and mixed media). Birchtree gallery provides an intricate and personal experience, where they provide professional advice to clients looking to invest in artwork.
"The gallery focuses on art-works that have roots in nature – whether in materials, inspiration or thematic elements." (Via Birchtree gallery).
'Elegy for Autumn' - Hanna Solomonnson and Glynnis Carter
With a background in sculpture and art history, Hanna Solomonnson received her ceramic training at City Lit London. She also has many year of architectural experience, which she draws on in her pieces. In her work, Salomonnson explores the enchanted natural world of clay, drawing on inspiration from her childhood from the untamed forests of Småland in Southern Sweden.
"Echoes of the gnarly branches, moss covered boulders and bottomless bogs of the southern Swedish woodlands can be distinguished in my pieces, and often these traces are paired with glimmers of urban wilderness found in decaying London surfaces, structures and spaces." (Via Birchtree Gallery)
After 30 years of teaching, Glynnis Carter decided to go back to University as a mature student and gained a BA Tons in Fine Art in 2004. She is now painting full time, where she draws on memories of landscapes to create her work by using a combination of collage, printing, painting and drawing to create a layering effect.
"These new paintings, made in 2023, represent a period of reflection and acceptance during what has been a difficult year. These paintings are different. They come from within, rather than interpret the landscapes I have seen. The work is a response to my thought processes and the images reflect how I felt whilst making them." (Via Birchtree Gallery)
This exhibition will be running until the 20th December 2023.
Gallery Instagram - Birchtreegalleryedinburgh
Artist Instagram - oknytt_ceramics, glynniscarterartist
