Galloway Paintings

 JAMES FAED JNR Solway Firth From Ravenshall Rocks

C.1900 signed, watercolour 11.5 x 15.5 inches POA

Our next exhibition is now online for you to view here.

We are really excited about the show and there has been a lot of interest in the paintings already. We've got a busy week ahead of us getting ready for the opening.

If you are interested in viewing any of the paintings before the opening please call the gallery on 01556 502468 or email me, zoe@mcgillduncangallery.com

Hidden Article Competition

Richard W Boardman's bronze bird, John Johnstone's painting Edward Scissorhands and Helen Fay's etching Rook II.

It's Castle Douglas Civic week 'Hidden Article Competition' from the 25th July to 1st August. We're taking part so if you see a strange something in the gallery window you might have spotted it.

I remember spending many an hour doing this competition as a child and people often put really boring objects in their windows for you to find like paper clips and bits of blue tack. Jill and I came up with a better idea. I can't give any clues as to what our hidden article is, but it is tiny.

I thought I would decorate the window to appeal to all the children that will be peering through the window in the next week: I put John Johnstone's 'Edward Scissorhands' in the centre with Richard W. Boardman's bronze bird and Helen Fay's etching 'Rook II'. They look great together and there's definitely a 'big black bird' theme going on!

Galloway News Review

JOHN JOHNSTONE Raspberry Pickers mixed media on panel 106 x 86 cm £3,300

JOE MCINTYRE Study for Evening In The City - Mannequins Berlin oil on canvas board 39 x 41 cm £1,600 SOLD

This review of our current exhibition was published yesterday in The Galloway News:

Scottish Duo Return to Castle Douglas Gallery

Summer at McGill Duncan Gallery in Castle Douglas heralds a welcome return for two dynamic Scottish artists, Joe McIntyre and John Johnstone. John Johnstone held the first solo exhibition at the gallery and his relationship with the Blamire Family, who own the gallery, goes back to the 1970s when they first purchased a painting by him.

This show is predominately figurative and every corner of the gallery is full of surprises. From a striking painting of Jarvis Cocker and Lily Cole in a city skyline, to an enormous painting of ‘Raspberry Pickers’. John Johnstone lives in Angus and the fruit pickers that work in the countryside near his studio are perfect subjects for him. He delights in the shapes of the berry pickers as they reach and bend to collect the fruit and creates a painting full of rhythm and humour.

A slightly more risqué collection of figures is captured by Joe McIntyre in his painting ‘Study For Evening In The City – Mannequins Berlin’. The scene of a shop window in Berlin depicts scantily clad shop models that look as if they could come to life at any moment. Joe McIntyre is a master of painting shadows and light with a distinctive bright palate, that lends itself to city life - from pleasant sunny streets to the darker side of town. All the paintings can be viewed online at www.mcgillduncangallery.com and the exhibition runs until the 31st July.

Paris

I can hardly believe I'm typing this, this afternoon I am off to Paris!

It was a last minute decision to see the Lucian Freud exhibition before it closes on Monday. I feel quite giddy with excitement.

Lucian Freud storms the Pompidou Centre.

Michael Scott - Testament

We now have copies of Michael Scott's book for sale in the gallery, priced £30.

You can read about Michael's work on his Web Site.

E A Taylor's chair

Mr Tinkler in E A Taylor's chair

This afternoon we had a visit from two of our good customers, Mr and Mrs Tinkler. Mr Tinkler is a keen amateur film maker. When he heard that one of the chairs in our gallery used to belong to the artist E A Taylor he asked if he could film me sitting in the chair chatting about where the chair came from and who used to own it.

In return he agreed to pose in the chair for my Blog!

It's such a comfy chair and I love that fact that it once belonged to someone who is so much a part of the history of art in this area. E A Taylor was married to Jessie M King and they lived at Greengate in Kirkcudbright. Jessie M King's work is included in The Glasgow Girls exhibition in Kirkcudbright this summer.

Edward Scissorhands

JOHN JOHNSTONE Edward Scissorhands mixed media on board 86 x 72 cm £1,850

The new exhibition is underway. Phew, that was a fast change around, Sandy Murphy's paintings were collected on Monday afternoon. By Tuesday night all the new work was on the wall and the gallery was looking lovely.

This painting by John Johnstone made us want to watch the film Edward Scissorhands again. I think it is a brilliant film, absolutely heartbreaking, but good!

The new exhibition is a complete contrast to our last. It is predominantly figurative and the gallery really feels very different once again. I grew up with John Johnstone's work in our house and as a family we all have a lot of admiration for his work. It's such a delight to be sitting in the gallery surrounded by so many of his paintings.

E-Newsletter

JOHN JOHNSTONE Stepping Stones (featuring Jarvis Cocker and Peter Blake)
mixed media on board 118 x 102 cm £3,800 SOLD

If you're not already signed up to our E-Newsletter you can read the one that I sent out today here.

We are getting ready for a very limited run Summer Exhibition with fantastic work from Joe McIntyre and John Johnstone. The show runs from the 13th - 31st July.

I'm really looking forward to hanging it as I've already fallen in love with a lot of the paintings - especially one of Jarvis Cocker and Lily Cole and the painting 'Stepping Stones' pictured above.

Subscribe to our E-newsletter here and never miss and exhibition!

New! Greetings Cards By Richard W Boardman

RICHARD W. BOARDMAN Greetings Card 'Bon Voyage' £1.80

Richard W. Boardman with some of his bronze sculpture.

Friend of the gallery and sculptor extraordinaire, Richard W. Boardman, has illustrated a range of greetings cards, his designs are full of fun and we love them.

We had completely sold out of his cards so we've just had a new delivery of them, including some designs that are new to us. 'Bon Voyage' is pictured above.

New Pots from the USA

Jill pricing Ron's Pottery

We had an exciting delivery from the USA today - new pots from Ron Philbeck. His last exhibition with us was a sell-out and these pots are beauties so I don't think they will be here for long.

Lots of washing lines (my favourite design), a wild looking dog and a sweet little blue bird, to name but a few.

They will be part of our new exhibition which opens on Tuesday the 13th July and runs until 31st July. There will be no Private View as there are only four weeks left until our next show, which opens on 7th August.

The Glasgow Girls - Kirkcudbright

HELEN PAXTON BROWN Untitled, Private Collection

Last night was the Opening of the Glasgow Girls Exhibition in Kirkcudbright.

It was too crowded and there were too many people to chat to to look at everything properly so I'll be making a couple of return visits over the summer. On walking into the exhibition you are greeted by an incredibly striking and confident Self Portrait by Eleanor Allan Moore. The same portrait is used on the front cover of the book which accompanies the exhibition: Glasgow Girls Artists and Designers 1890 -1930 written by Liz Arthur.

Liz Arthur curated the exhibition and she must be congratulated for bringing together such a treasure trove of work from far and wide. I enjoyed the wonderful mix of paintings, pottery, glass and brass and copper work. A colourful painted mirror by Jessie M King stays with me as one of my favourites but I can't wait to go back and have a proper look soon.

You can read more about the exhibition here.

A trip to see it is highly recommened.