Tag Archives: gallery

Daily Sketch

Scottish gallery of modern art

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The beautiful and inspirational Modern One

I love a Sunday walk around the modern art gallery, inspiring artwork, manicured grounds and delicious food in their cafe.

This view I created for a commission shows the reflection of the grand entrance and also the Martin Creed piece, ‘Everything is going to be alright’ which reassures me every time I see it.

Creed has said of his art that it is ‘50% about what I make and 50% about what other people make of it’. And I do connect to this piece, and remember walking past it a few times during lock down and hoping it to be true.

I would say that all art is 50/50 and when I draw something it is usually initially for me but that is only half the story, I am making art to be seen and hope that viewers connect to my work in ways I haven’t thought of.

Scottish Gallery Of Modern Art website

Daily Sketch

Trip to the Turners

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Three paintings along with notes I made.

January in Edinburgh means Turners at the National.

I have been along to see the beautiful JMW Turner paintings at the National Galleries of Scotland, in their new room for 2024, one of the upper galleries of Edinburgh’s Royal Scottish Academy.

These atmospheric paintings using watercolour, ink, bodycolour and a scrapping of the paint to create highlights just blows me away every time. The light captured and the colours used are fascinating and I look forward to seeing them every year.

My sketch of JMW Turners painting, ‘Heidelberg’.

Left to the nation by art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900 the paintings by Joseph Mallard William Turner are only be available to see through the month of January, when Scotland’s daylight is shortest. These strict conditions means the watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour, almost 200 years after they were created.

With 38 watercolours on show there is also an audio highlights guide available, which is a brand-new addition for 2024. Be sure to make a visit before the end of the month.

Turner in January | National Galleries of Scotland

Daily Sketch

An inspiring city break

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A weekend trip to Amsterdam provides inspiration, and more street lamps!

My niece had a big birthday and so a surprise trip to the Netherlands happened. My first stay in Amsterdam and it did not disappoint.

A beautiful city we spent hours walking and boating the canals and also managed a trip to the RijksMuseum where I saw a Van Gogh, many stunning Rembrandts and a beautiful Vermeer, the Milkmaid (below).

So inspiring and great to see such wonderful paintings close up. The canals of the city make for such picturesque views, tall gable ended town houses with little humpbacked bridges, skeletal black trees and big bright skys. I created one painting (top) but it was very cold and I look forward to returning in the warmer months for more canal side sketching.

Rijksmuseum Website

Daily Sketch

New Scottish gallery space opens

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New rooms open to the public this weekend and I had a sneak peak.

The new Scottish Galleries at National Galleries Scotland open this weekend, showcasing Scottish Art from 1800 to 1945. The works collected tell a fascinating story, in a bright new space overlooking Princes Street Gardens.

Free to visit which is amazing, I thoroughly recommend a trip to see these great works of art, I couldn’t stop scribbling down names that I wanted to research later, so much inspiration from creative Scots.

Also very inspiring was the views opposite the artworks, great big windows frame the Princes Street Gardens and the Waverley Railway Station.

I loved seeing works from artists I hadn’t heard of, lots to research later and I look forward to returning again and again. The new galleries are open from this Saturday, 30th September at 10am.

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Daily Sketch

Peter Howson at the CAC

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A major new exhibition of Howson’s career is now on at the City Art Centre.

Last night I was lucky enough to have a sneak peek at the new major retrospective of Peter Howson’s paintings, at the City Art Centre Museums & Galleries Edinburgh 

It’s an amazing opportunity to see so many of his works together over four floors, showing graphic and emotional pieces which see the world as it is now, not once was. I will be back and recommend it too, on from Saturday until October as part of Edinburgh Art Festival . 

City Art Centre website

Daily Sketch

Solemn scene in the rain

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I have often looked over the wall when walking into the Modern One gallery and thought what a beautiful scene. The statue rising above the grave stones is perfectly framed by various foliage of the encroaching trees that surround Dean Cemetery.

I finally found time to sketch the view and use it in my WhereArtI Quiz. I thought it would be an easy one but didn’t have many correct answers, it just shows you know what you know and can easily think everyone knows your views of Edinburgh.

Be sure to look left next time you visit the modern art gallery and I will be seeking out new views, there must be many such as this I have yet to discover in this beautiful city.

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-gallery-modern-art

Daily Sketch

Scottish Artists Celebrated

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Today a new exhibition opens at the City Art Centre featuring work by the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists amongst many others.

‘National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association’ reveals the story of this a unique collection, and the artists represented in it.

Founded in Edinburgh in 1907, the association was established by artists and their supporters, and aimed to secure a collection of modern Scottish art.

I loved how diverse the mediums and subjects are, from the stunning details in Ernest Lumsden’s etchings to the loose pastel sketches from Julia Beatrice How. There are small delicate pieces and large scale bright and colourful murals. I also loved how I knew some of the scenes and subjects from around Scotland.

Exhibitions like this of multiple artists using a wide range of mediums and styles are so inspiring. Everyone should see this (it would be a great school visit) as you can see that art can come in all styles, sizes and some you will like and some you will not. To me they show that there is not a right and wrong, and everyone can create their art.

Well done City Art Centre, I will be back to take it all in again. Go see it, before mid October.

City Art Centre website.

Daily Sketch

Valentine date at the gallery

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Recently I was asked to sketch a couple at the Scottish National Gallery to help promote their Valentines competition.

When I was younger I remember going on a few dates to galleries, often when I was meant to be somewhere else the local gallery would be a warm and dry place to go too, full of inspiration and wonder.

Just this week I was asked to sketch a few quick watercolour paintings within the red walls of the gallery by the Mound and it was an honour to have the place to myself and to be sketching in front of such stunning works of art.

Below are a couple of other sketches I made on the night. Thanks to Howard and Kenneth for being our perfect models!

Follow @Natgalleriessco on Instagram and also the hashtag #ScotlandSketches for ore information about the monthly online giveaway.

Daily Sketch

Charles H Mackie retospective

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On Saturday 15th May the City Art Centre reopens with a retrospective of a Scottish artist we should all know about.

First off, it is great news to be seeing that the City Art Centre on Market street is reopening after the lockdowns. Home to historic and modern Scottish painting and photography, as well as contemporary art and craft, the central venue has been greatly missed.

Earlier this week I had the chance to visit their new exhibition about an extremely talented and driven Scottish artist who I hadn’t previously heard of. But I am not alone and Mackie biographer and researcher Pat Clark told me the exhibition is a long-overdue tribute to one of Scotland’s outstanding and unjustly neglected artists.

The exhibition brings both private and public pieces together and is an exclusive chance to see the artists wide range of work in one place, from small Scottish rural scenes, to large Venetian oil pieces.

Born in Aldershot and brought up in Edinburgh, Mackie traveled and painted around Europe and the UK, creating beautiful art using a wide range of materials including watercolours, wood block printing and oils.

I loved sing the original watercolours along side wood block prints of the same scene. The wood block process reminds me of more illustrative pieces, the colours are strong and bright.

I took my pad and made notes and sketches, just totally loving being in a gallery again and the injection of inspiration that gives me. Welcome back City Art Centre 🙂

Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light runs from 15th May 2021 – 10th October 2021, at the City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh. Admission is free, but pre booking is essential for the time being. You can do this via the website below:

City Art Centre website

Daily Sketch

A Human Touch at the Scottish Parliament

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This morning I was at The Scottish Parliament for the unveiling of ‘A Human Touch’ – an outdoor photography exhibition showcasing the impact human activity has had on the planet.

As part of The Edinburgh Science Festival this free open air gallery of stunning artwork will be on show until 20th May.

Amazing to see and beautiful in their own right each image tells a story that will make you think about your own impact on the earth. A must see.

Edinburgh Science Festival link

Scottish Parliament website