A highlight of the summer calendar opened last weekend at Gracefield, with the Dumfries & Galloway Fine Art Society Annual Exhibition.
The region’s largest member-based art group presents a fascinating selection of its participants’ work, from painting and drawing to craft and sculpture, there is always something to catch the eye and as most are available to buy. It’s the ideal exhibition to start or enhance your original art collection with prices to suit all pockets. For details of membership and the busy programme demonstrations and workshops given by professional artists, visit the website at www.dumfriesandgallowayfineart.org.uk
Councillor Andy Ferguson, Chair of Communities Committee comments;
“The Fine Arts Society puts such a great effort into showcasing local talent – well done on another impressive year with over 180 artworks to enjoy in this year’s show.”
Gallery Two is also hosting a unique exhibition. In September 2014 a hoard of tenth century Viking age treasure was discovered in Galloway. This comprised over 100 objects – silver jewellery, ingots, amulets of glass, Anglo Saxon disc brooches, aestels (pointers), pins and beads. The Hoard has now been secured for the nation and is held by the National Gallery of Scotland but will be displayed in Kirkcudbright in 2020. Embroiderers from Dumfries and District and all over Scotland have created a textile hanging to celebrate this magnificent find and it has its local debut here in Dumfries as part of the summer exhibition.
Councillor John Martin, Vice Chair of Communities Committee adds;
“We look forward to seeing the Galloway Hoard in Kirkcudbright Galleries next year, and meantime, this amazing textile work celebrates this discovery and also the skill of the embroiderers.”
The Embroiders work is show alongside the main summer exhibition: Ladies First: 70 Years of Women’s Art from the Gracefield Collection. Selected from the Gracefield permanent art collection, offers a significant moment to recognise and celebrate a selection of some of Britain’s most important women artists working from the 1950s to the present day, such as: Dame Laura Knight, Joan Eardley, Elizabeth Blackadder RSA, Barbara Rae and Wilhelmina Barns Graham.
Artists from Dumfries and Galloway are represented too with Chris Fergusson, Abigail McLellan and a memorial to Silvana McLean (1953-2018). Also available will be a new book produced by the Lit Room Press based in Moniaive “The Artist’ Tale” a collection of poems inspired by Silvana’s work. Hot of the press it is priced at £14.99 and includes 80 pages of full-illustrated images and poems.
During the School Summer holiday (until Friday 16 August 2019) we have free drop-in gallery quiz sheet and colouring and painting inspired by the exhibition – suitable for all ages. There are still a few spaces left on the summer kids clubs workshop on a Wednesday morning.
Gracefield is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and admission is free.
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