Review - The Galloway News

Here's a review of our current exhibition from The Galloway News. It was published on Thursday the 26th of March.

The McGill Duncan Gallery in Castle Douglas may have a small unassuming exterior but behind the shop front their meandering exhibiting space is displaying an extraordinary selection of original prints by some of the UK’s foremost artists.

This exhibition is a celebration of the art of Printmaking; showing visitors the variety of techniques artists use to create a print, including Linocut, Etching, Mezzotint, Screen print, Collagraph and Woodcut - to name but a few.

Zoe Blamire, who curated the exhibition, said ‘I have quite literally travelled the length of Britain to select this work. I’m very excited about the way it has all come together and to be able to bring art of this calibre to Castle Douglas’

She is very proud of this exhibition as it showcases big names from the Art World both past and present including artists Elizabeth Blackadder, Barbara Rae, Craigie Aitchieson, Norman Ackroyd, Albert Irvin and John Byrne. Looking round the exhibition proves you can buy an original print, such as an etching, by a very famous artist, at a fraction of the cost of one of their paintings.

The exhibition wouldn’t be out of place in a much larger gallery, in a much bigger place than Castle Douglas. However Dumfries and Galloway with it’s thriving artists’ community means this exhibition has been incredibly popular even in its rural location. Although the work is from all over Britain, local highly talented artists are showing their prints alongside their national counterparts. The diversity of the artists and their different styles gives the exhibition its energy.

Subjects chosen by the artists are wide ranging, from a view of Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran by Craigie Aitchison to glowing, orange fish by Susie Perring. Pamela Grace has chosen to make delicate studies of allotments and there is a captivating self-portrait by John Byrne. Lisa Hooper continues her popular local bird studies with her ‘Head of Curlews’ and Albert Irvin’s ‘Angel’ is depicted with his vibrant, unmistakable abstract composition. The exhibition runs until the 15th of April.