Winter Trees - Christmas Window

We decorated the gallery window today with the theme of 'Winter Trees' and included some little berry-like lights and sculptural tree decorations. Lisa Hooper's lino etching 'Winter Trees, Garlieston' and Josephine Broakhuizens's oil painting 'Black Barn and Geese' look fantastic together and we were very pleased with how seasonal the gallery looked as it got dark outside and the lighting took full effect.

Snowy Beano

Beano has been enjoying the snow... but only if he's got his coat on so he can stay warm! We went for such a nice walk today.

I'm back at home now writing content for our new web site. All the images for our Christmas exhibition are on the site, which is yet to be launched. Fingers crossed it will go live this week.

Lisa Hooper @ The V & A Museum!

I'm just back from a fabulous short stay in London. I went down to see my friend Kathryn, and to go to Rufus Wainwright's concert at the Royal Albert Hall and see lots and lots of exhibitions. More about them later.

Imagine my delight when I saw these greetings cards on sale at the Victoria and Albert Museum - Lisa Hooper's 'Mountain Hare' and 'Deceit of Lapwings'. We have been championing Lisa's work since we opened the gallery over three years ago and we are very proud of her growing success.

Look out for your invitations

The invitations for our Opening on the 4th of December are being posted this week.

So, if you are on our mailing list look out for a nice invitation coming through your letter box any day soon.

The new work arrives!

It's been a busy day. Lots of artists came to see us with new work or just dropped in to pick up some invitations for the next show.

The morning got off to a great start with a visit from Paul Young and a delivery of his fabulous pots:

Then in the afternoon it was lovely to see Michael Ashcroft and his wife Debbie. Here's Michael delivering his oil paintings of Kippford and Rockcliffe:

We also had visits from Sandy Robb and Hannah McAndrew - it was great to see everyone and it makes us look forward to the Opening on the 4th December with even more excitement... there's so much work to do before then though!

Dark Skies Exhibition in Dumfries and Galloway Life Magazine

 

Our forthcoming exhibition is featured in the December issue of Dumfries and Galloway Life magazine. The article focuses on the 'Dark Skies' part of the show.

Makers have created work specially for the exhibition, to celebrate Galloway's Dark Sky Park - the first in the UK. The magazine chose to show a vase by Christine Smith. It depicts one of the star gazers who come here to look at the stars and planets because the Galloway Forest has so little light pollution.

I've had a preview of some of the pieces and they are just brilliant.

Our exhibition in December coincides with two significant events in the skies  above us - a Geminids Meteor Shower and a very rare Total Lunar Eclipse.

Christmas Cards for Sale

Our McGill Duncan Gallery Christmas cards are now on sale. They are a large A5 size with lovely orange envelopes and cost £4 for a pack of 5.

My design this year is some Galloway Forest Angels enjoying the starry sky in Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park.

Gallery Closed

Due to a family bereavement the gallery will be closed until Friday the 12th November.

Gallery Interior Shots

I thought I'd share some of the great interior shots that Garry Maclellan took of the gallery last week.

Take a tour round our lovely gallery...

Morning On The Bay

 

JOSEPHINE BROEKHUIZEN Morning On The Bay

oil on canvas 73 x 73 cm £850

Our current exhibition draws to a close on Saturday, but there is still lots of new work coming into the gallery. We have sold quite a few of Josephine Broekhuizen's paintings recently so she sent us one of her latest works - Morning On The Bay - a view from her home on Arran.

I unwrapped it this morning and I think it's a beautiful painting. We will be rehanging the gallery with this and other gallery artists work next week. We start to hang our 'Galloway' exhibition at the beginning of December ready for Opening on Saturday 4th December.

Do drop in and see us in November as we have lots of new work for you to see.

A Day of Product Photography Lessons

As our new web site gets ready for launch we're preparing for taking lots of photos of the gallery stock.

We've invested in some proper photography equipment and we've made a designated photography room in the attic room of the gallery.

Glasgow based photographer Garry Maclennan came down to give me and Leo lessons with the new equipment. A bit of problem solving was needed when we realised the wrong measurements had been given to us and our big tent was too tall for the room. Leo solved that problem with a hack saw and a staple gun and we were back on course!

Garry gave me a quick photoshop lesson before he headed back off to Glasgow but I have much to learn and my brain aches slightly at the thought of it.

Thanks for all your help Garry, you've been great.

It's all happening in the gallery at the moment!

A Grayson Perry Dress

I started my dress making course with Leah Halliday at Made In The Shade HQ last night. On a fabric buying trip to Mandors I was delighted to find this Liberty fabric designed by Grayson Perry - half price!

When his designs were launched by Liberty I was seriously tempted to buy some, but I didn't have a sewing machine or a project to work on. The fabric disappeared from the Liberty web site and I thought I'd missed out. I was so happy to find it in Glasgow. I think the fabric will really suit the style of the dress. He is one of my favourite artists so I can't wait to have a Grayson Perry dress!