As we head towards the shortest day and midwinter celebrations, the Gallery is keeping its doors open. Thanks to you – our friends and customers – for getting us off to such a great start this year. And, most recently, thanks for making our Christmas Shopping weekend a success. It was great to see you and show off all our new stock.
We’re building up an interesting array of art and gifts. And we’re continuing with our principle of seeking out work by Scottish artists and makers – ranging from driftwood clocks made in Argyll, to wooden coasters made in Aberdeen, and glass art made in Penicuik. And of course we have our own craft work and that of other local regulars.
Over the year, we’ve sought out a few new artists, sticking to our idea of having original artwork on the walls – paintings, drawings, and hand-crafted prints. We’re pleased to report that many of our artists have been featured in the Scottish open exhibitions held in the RSA (Royal Scottish Academy) building in Edinburgh. Rona MacLean and Cat Outram had work in the RSA open exhbition this year; Gillian Murray was one of the featured artists in the Scottish Society of Artists show; Cat Outram, Amanda Baron, Eleanor Symms and our own Aileen currently have work in ‘FLY16’ the open exhibition of Visual Art Scotland (on till 27th December). In fact, Eleanor Symms has won the Inches Carr award for her jewellery – and we still have some of her ‘Cartography’ range in the Gallery.
Over the winter in the Gallery we’ve run a few popular workshops. Jonathan Shearer is always a favourite for outdoor painting, and Sarah Longley held a good day’s drawing at Attadale Gardens in October. And we hope to repeat these in 2017. Steven Proudfoot’s recent watercolour workshop proved so popular that we’re continuing with extra workshop days in 2017. Printmaking workshops are on the cards too – lino-cutting with Aileen in January, and collagraphy with Suzie MacKenzie in February.
Our high-profile event of 2016 was undoubtedly the session with Graeme Macrae Burnet, the Man Booker shortlisted author – there’s plenty about that event elsewhere on the website. It does make us think that we should try and hold one or two other sessions like this, especially as we now have a few books on offer. Art and books seem to go together, don’t they?
We hope you like what we’re doing in the Gallery, and we want to continue to grow and improve to make the shop a place that you want to visit – an added attraction in Lochcarron. We would welcome feedback from you and any ideas you might have about future workshops and events. So, please email us with your thoughts.
In the meantime – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes. And don’t forget, we’re continuing with our Winter opening hours – there’s still time for last-minute Christmas Shopping and we’d love you to first foot us too!
LOCHCARRON ARTS 