Countdown

It's December tomorrow and I always feel that with it comes the countdown to Christmas. It's almost impossible to avoid so we may as well wrap ourselves in tinsel and admit that a fairy light is no bad thing.

It's dark out there after all, so let's add a little more light and colour to our lives than usual!

So I'm getting in the mood with a Christmas event at the gallery on the evening of the 6th.  I'm rehanging the Winter exhibition, adding many new works and yes, I am even decking the gallery with lights and many other surprises for this special evening.

But, it's still only November, and nothing can compete for colour and light with the beautiful pieces that will be part of out exhibition.

Hope you can make it!

Thanks for reading!


Natalie

Happy Birthday

We opened the gallery seven years ago today, and I always like to celebrate this day because it has been a dream come true.

I have enjoyed every minute and every aspect of what goes into running the gallery.  Thank you to all the wonderful artists who inspired me in the first place, and of course to those who exhibit with us.  I hope they have enjoyed it too. 

I especially hope that the art-lovers who have visited have enjoyed the space, particularly those who weren't previously gallery-goers.

It was my hope to create a warm and welcoming space in which people could enjoy all types of quality contemporary art, and it's the people who have become regular visitors that have made the gallery feel like such a success.

Happy Birthday Smithy!


Thanks for reading!


Natalie

The C Word

I think it's almost now acceptable to mention the C word!

Christmas will be upon us before we know it, so we are going to embrace the spirit with a special festive event at the gallery on the evening of 6th December.

Our Night Before Christmas!

We have had a very good year and it will also be our 7th birthday at the end of November.  So we want to take this chance to thank our valued customers and of course any newcomers to the gallery this year.  

Our Winter Exhibition will be transformed into our Christmas Exhibition, with many new arrivals.

It will also be a celebration of success in challenging times.  Our artists have been producing the most beautiful works and we are always grateful to them for making the exhibitions at the gallery so special.

Please take a note of times - we would love to see you there!

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

Winter Winners!

The Winter Exhibition has got off to a great start.  We have a wonderful mix of renowned Scottish artists taking part. 

 

I'm delighted to say that there have been many sales already. And what a variety! I love to celebrate the paintings that have sold. So here are a few that couldn't be resisted!

 

 

 

The Fox - Neil MacDonald PAI

 

 

 

This is the first time that the wonderful Neil MacDonald PAI has exhibited with Smithy Gallery.  His gentle tones and skewed perspective create works of an unreal, wondrous nature.  We have three beautiful works from him.

 

 



Promenade - Stuart Buchanan

I love this seemingly simple painting by Stuart Buchanan, also new to the gallery. The solitary figure inhabitats this large empty space but for two birds.  The weight of feeling in this painting fills every inch of it up.






The Race - David Schofield



This painting by David Schofield is filled with lightness and joy.  David is also a newcomer to the gallery and we have several beautiful pieces by him.





Tulips by Laura Harrison

Laura Harrison (my mum) is a regular exhibitor at Smithy Gallery.  Her bold, expressive paintings, with their inherent love of paint, always capture the attention of art-lovers and artists alike.




Judy's Revenge - Alice McMurrough

Alice McMurrough is an exquisite painter, and I am so glad she is becoming a bit of a regular at Smithy Gallery.  There really is no-one like her.  The detail and beauty of the paintings fill you up and as you peer closer so much more is revealed, like a secret.





Fresh Snow, Dumgoyne - Gordon Wilson

The inimitable Gordon Wilson is always a success at the gallery.  His energy and joie de vivre comes through every painting.  We love him so much, we are having a solo exhibition with him in March next year!

We have many more works by these artists and others, and the sales are coming every day.  We also have a large selection of jewellery, glass and ceramic work.

The exhibition runs until 23 December.


Thanks for reading!


Natalie




A Trove of Treasures

To add to our wonderful collection of paintings and to make this year's Winter Exhibition extra special, we also have works by a group of well known applied artists.

Sculpture by Shaun McLaren

I love Shaun McLaren's work.  He works with driftwood and found objects and finesses them into fine and delightful pieces of sculpture.

Glass by Jane Charles

Jane Charles is one of the best glass artists I know.  She creates beautiful bowls and perfume bottles that appear to capture the light around them. Her work is of the finest quality.

Ceramics by Pauline Zelinski

Pauline Zelinski is also one of the finest ceramic artists I know.  She combines beautiful design with hand-painting and creates a wide range from platters, to bowls to jugs.  Each piece is practical, but ultimately a beautiful piece of art.

Ceramics by Anne Morrison

Anne Morrison is a well known ceramicist combining the ancient art of Raku firing with modern design.  The driftwood she often uses is a beautiful complement to the ceramic's dappled glaze.

Sculpture by Christine Cummings

Christine Cummings' love of animals is apparent in her expressive hand-moulded sculptures.  She charmingly captures the character of her subjects, from dogs and cats to sheep and horses.

Jewellery by Sarah Anderson

We have a fabulous collection of jewellery by Sarah Anderson.  She works in exquisite detail with sterling silver creating a variety of chains to beautiful effect.  She also works with freshwater pearls.  Her necklaces and bracelets, beautifully finished with silver charms are very popular at the gallery.

So along with our twenty five painters, I'd say we have the best Winter Exhibition in town!!

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

A Good Preview

I love a good exhibition preview.  Our Winter Exhibition opened on Sunday and the champagne flowed, the chocolates disappeared, but most importantly people were smiling and enjoying the surroundings, the company, and of course the collection of works put together by our twenty five invited artists.

It's such a lovely reward for all that goes into putting an exhibition together.

The hanging of the paintings . . . . 

a little attention to detail . . . . 

and then of course the fabulous crowd of art-lovers . . . . . !

I was of course far too busy to take photographs!! But I'm pleased to say that several paintings and many pieces of the applied art sold.


I'll be featuring our fabulous applied artists in Friday's blog.  Thanks to everyone for enjoying the show on Sunday.


Thanks for reading!


Natalie