The lovely unexpected things...

 

Guess what? I saw art again this week and a lot of it! I know you are shocked. Truly this wasn't my plan for the week at all but is hard to escape all the art and as a tourist and artist where else am I going to spend my time but in galleries... So let's get started!

First, we returned to the Royal Scottish Academy gallery this time for the 2012 Visual Arts Scotland Annual Open Exhibition of visual and applied arts. It was a massive and impressive exhibition, some of the most vital and exciting art I have seen yet in this city was featured in the beautiful galleries. According to the Visual Arts Scotland website, "over 850 submissions had to be pared down to just 280." Well, I liked a lot of what I saw of the selected 280. In particular, I was quite taken with the work of Paul Charlton. All three of his pieces in the exhibition were sold within a day of the show opening. When I looked online to learn more about this artist, sadly Mr. Charlton didn't have much a of web presence for his art. Click here for an example.

Also showing at the RSA were the Royal Society of Watercolourists and The Scottish Society of Artists.  Both shows were packed with more impressive works, however The Scottish Society of Artists exhibition was a bit more my cup of tea. I would name more individual artists that moved me, but I wasn't equipped with pen and paper upon viewing.

We happened to catch these exhibitions on a Sunday afternoon after viewing another art form, the short film. We met up with some more blippers for the big screen debut of Scotland the World Over. It was fun to be around a lot of other blippers, hear some Scottish music and just be outside.

There was also a visit to the National Portrait Gallery this week. It is a beautiful and newly renovated gallery space. I will have to spend some more time there. There were several modern Scottish painters represented and one piece that I found captivating was, Three Oncologists by Ken Currie. This large dark piece is ghostly, gripping, and memorable. 


Other art that was viewed this week was the latest exhibition, Poetic Licence at Union Gallery. It is an eclectic mix of art by artists whose work has been influenced by poetry. It is always lovely to stop in to Union gallery for the atmosphere, creaky floor boards and a quick hello with the friendly owners of the space.

In other events of the week, there was a solo excursion walk through town and back up to Calton Hill which was the first place I went went I arrived, it is a lovely overlook and provides beautiful views and monuments. I enjoyed taking photographs.

Charity shops were wandered in and out of on the quest for the teapot, which I found! And some art was even purchased this week! Two lovely ceramic pieces by Lara Scobie were scored from a surprise visit to The Adam Pottery. A place I had just read about online last week when trying to find some contemporary ceramics. It was a lovely studio/workshop/gallery. The folks were friendly and we can't be more pleased with our new art!

The week concluded with a beautiful visit to the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh. It was just lovely to walk among the tall trees and to hear the birds sing. The highlight for me was seeing the glass house that housed the palms. This glass house seemed to warrant at least on hundred fairy tales and more than a few dreams...

Until next week, you know what to do.