Alice McMurrough RSW RGI PAI and Neil MacDonald RSW RGI PAI

Alice McMurrough RSW RGI PAI and Neil MacDonald RSW RGI PAI are two of the artists exhibiting in our current exhibition.  They create some of the more fantastical, narrative paintings.

 

 

 

 

All The Way Home by Alice McMurrough

 

 

 

 

Alice intertwines memories of personal events with contemporary issues, family legends, cultural myths and religious fables.

 

 



Along Came A Spider by Alice McMurrough

 

 

 

 

Objects, colours and scale are employed for symbolic purposes.  She often finds archetypes in old children's books, toys and television programmes.

 

 

 



For Enduring Friendship by Alice McMurrough

 

 

 

The resulting images display theatrical characters on stage-like sets, inviting open narratives and subjective interpretations which have a fairy-tale appeal.

 

 

 



The Incredible Curtsey by Alice McMurrough

Neil's paintings appear realistic, yet on closer inspection they are subtly distorted.  They aim to engender the mood and poetry of a place. 

 

The Tower by Neil MacDonald

 

 

 

 

 

He does this through quality of light and distortion of scale underpinned by sound academic drawing.

The Palace Fox by Neil MacDonald

This creative pair have a few things in common.. They have both been recently awarded the accolades of membership of the Royal Glasgow Institute and the Royal Society of Watercolourists.  They create intriguing paintings full of hidden narrative. They also happen to be married.

 

 

The Truffle Hunters by Neil MacDonald

 

 

 

This wonderful work can be seen as part of the Tim'rous Beasties exhibition until 18th May.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Natalie

Here Comes Summer

The Steven Camley exhibition ended on Sunday with sales I'm delighted to say, right up to the last minute. A fabulous forty-five sold, and I really didn't want that show to end.

Margaretann Bennett RSW

But as the new work began to arrive for our Summer Exhibition, I could feel my head being turned by the most gorgeous works I've seen for a mixed show in a long time.



Cathy Campbell



We have a great line up of artists taking part, and the variety of talent just goes on and on.  Here are just some examples of the quality of work and the spectrum of media that will go to make a joyous collection for June and July.

Colin Brown

Other invited artists include John Kingsley PAI, David M Martin RSW RGI, Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI, Kevin Low, Ronald F Smith RSW RGI PAI, Laura Harrison, Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE, Sheila Macmillan and more.

Alice McMurrough RGI PAI

We will also have beautiful sculpture by Shaun McLaren and Lesley Carruthers, ceramics by Pauline Zelinski and jewellery by Sarah Anderson.





Patricia Cain RGI



The gallery will be bursting at the seams with works by some of my favourite artists, and I hope yours too.

Ashley Cook

We wil be hanging this exhibition all week in preparation for the preview this Sunday, 16th June.



Neil MacDonald RGI PAI




Do let me know if anything catches your eye.  Several pieces have sold already from the invitation and from images seen.



Thanks for reading!



Natalie

Coming Soon . . . .

I know we are just getting used to Autumn, but I'm too excited about what's coming for our winter exhibition.  I promise it's not winter yet, it's just a sneaky peak!

Alice McMurrough

We have invited twenty-five artists to put together a collection that will warm the heart and thrill the eye.  Opening on 4 November, this exciting exhibition will take us all the way up to Christmas Eve.

Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI

Our invited artists include many Smithy favourites such as David Martin RSW RGI, Gordon Wilson, Margaretann Bennett RSW and Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI, but I'm very excited to say that they will be joined by several artists who are new to the gallery.

Gordon Wilson

Margaretann Bennett RSW

We are adding to our favourites with exciting artists such as David Schofield, Paul Barnes, John Kingsley PAI, Neil MacDonald PAI and Stanley Bird.

David Schofield

This is going to make for an incredibly bold and imaginative exhibition. Scotland seems to be burgeoning with talent, and I feel very lucky to be able to put together an exhibition which will showcase some of the creativity that is produced in this country.

Stanley Bird

Keep your eyes open for more information and for more preview images.  They are all so tempting, but too good to share all at once!

Paul Barnes

Thanks for reading!


Natalie

The Smithy Gallery Award

I had the great honour of being asked to select a painting for the new Smithy Gallery Award at the Paisley Art Institute's annual exhibition.

The exhibition opened on Saturday 5th May, but what a thrill it was to be invited to visit a week or so earlier to peruse the exhibition alongside the other judges.  I viewed for more than two hours. 

This grand exhibition is now in its 124th year and the standard is extremely high.  I loved several of the paintings, many by artists I admire hugely, so how to choose just one!

As is often the case, it's the one that grabbed me straight away.  Love at first sight!  There is something very distinctive about this Neil MacDonald painting.  It had a very strong quality about it that felt quite new to me.  The composition is striking, raising you far about the water below and in person, it shimmers magically. 

It's a beautiful work and I'm very pleased with my choice, even although it meant passing by fabulous paintings by Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI, James Cosgrove, Michael Durning, three artists who incidentally will be showing at Smithy Gallery later in the year!

Thank you to the president of the PAI Michael Durning, and to all of the committee members for being so welcoming and making this such a warm experience.

The exhibition continues until 3rd June.  Go see!


Thanks for reading!


Natalie