July is the month to come out and see art!

July = Art. Here's where I will be showing in July. Find my work in these exhibitions. "Defying Sameness" at The Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello. "Summer Garden Party" at Union Gallery in the West End. "Makers Marque" Open Studio (G23) at The Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith! I would love to see you at any and all of these events

I plan to be at The Velvet Easel Gallery around 12:30 for the opening (it's an all-day pop in affair from 10-5pm) tomorrow, so if you are planning on coming to the opening and want to catch me there please come around then. I would love to see you. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I will have two pieces in the Defying Sameness show. The gallery is hung salon style and often one or two works by each artist in the exhibition is on display and as things sell and the show gets freshened up and new work appears. It's such a charming gallery and this looks to be a brilliant show. 

Next Thursday night July 12th from 6-8pm. I will be at Union Gallery for the duration of the opening for the brilliant Summer Garden Party exhibition. I am very excited to have five paintings from my latest series on show in the front of the gallery on the left-hand wall as you walk in. I am thrilled to have these works shown together and Union Gallery is a perfect venue. If you are local or feel like making a wee trek to Edinburgh next Thursday night I would be honoured if you would attend in support of my work. It's going to be a stellar exhibition with many gallery favourites on show. 

July 15th from 12-5pm I will have my studio open once again for the Makers Marque at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. There will be market stalls in the main hall and my studio G23 will be open. I will have a selection of small works on show and some new things not seen before. So come on out for some quality art viewing and conversation.

So as you can see there are plenty of opportunities to visit with me as well as view and purchase my work in Edinburgh this July. This is one of my favourite parts of being an artist. Making art is a solitary process and I love that part as well, but I believe it is in the sharing of the work, the ideas, and listening to the stories that the work conjures and inspires from viewers that is crucial.

We live in a modern world filled with information, graphics, photos and images. We think we see, know, and understand a lot of what we see. We think we are experiencing the art of the masters and our peers through a computer screen or on our phone. We are and we are not. Seeing art and having an artist present with the work in a space that showcases, supports, and elevates the work is an important and separate part of the process. 

Viewing art doesn't need to be stodgy, elite, or uncomfortable. We don't need to talk in riddles and meaningless concepts. Viewing and loving art are as basic as enjoying flowers that you don't yet know the names of and perhaps never will. It is innate, human, and basic. The more people that show up to have these conversations around art and artists, the better. Come on out and let's talk.