Happy Chinese New Year

Hello everyone,

Many of you will know that this Friday sees the Chinese New Year and that we are entering the year of The Horse. At Union Gallery, we are particularly aware of this fact this year as our fantastic intern, Jenna, has gone home to China to celebrate, and we are missing her keenly.

The Year of the Horse is a good one in many ways: for those like Jenna, born on a horse year, the good news is that it is suggested that they are cheerful, popular, talented and enjoy entertaining. They are associated with success and cannot stand failure. For those of us not born on a horse year, the year ahead will apparently bring health and prosperity.  I, for one, fully intend to embrace that prediction.

Small wonder, then, that the wonderful Barbara Franc sculpture, 'A Sure Thing', was one of the first pieces to sell in her recent exhibition and, sure enough, it was sent to an eager client of ours in China.  Lucky chap:

 













'A Sure Thing', steel wire and recycled material, by Barbara Franc.

And small wonder that the exquisite little painting, 'Black Prince', by great Edinburgh artist Henry Kondracki, which is currently hanging in the gallery, is attracting so much attention:

'Black Prince', oil on canvas, by Henry Kondracki.  Such a beautifully observed painting: I am pretty confident that it will soon find a new, enlightened and soon to be prosperous home.

And, of course, we are still lucky enough to have two lovely Horse Puppets by the brilliant Barbara Franc - the perfect companions to a really successful Chinese New Year:

 












'Fruit and Nut Horse Puppet', and:

 












'Jonathan Horse Puppet'

Enjoy the New Year, and we'll see you soon.

TAKE III

Hello everyone

The Barbara Franc mania continues here at UG which explains why this blog has been a little quiet of late....it's been super busy round these parts!

As some of you will know Barbara has made some amazing, mischievous red squirrels as part of her Menagerie solo exhibition so I thought we'd take a look at 3 of my all time favourites.
Lets start with this little fella:

'Plain and Jam', steel wire and recycled decorative tins by Barbara Franc.
He is christened such by the biscuits tins that make up much of his perfectly sculpted body.
I adore the tiny snowflake motif on his paws and tail.
And this speedy little girl:

'Yellow Flower', steel wire and recycled decorative tins by Barbara Franc.
I think you can probably see how she got her name. It's funny, it's not just me that can tell by looking at a piece wither it's a boy or girl. Lots of gallery visitors refer to Barbara's animals as she or he. You can just tell! It's a credit to Barbara's skill that she can give each piece such character and personality.
Last but definitely by no means least:

'Tea Leaf', steel wire and recycled decorative tins by Barbara Franc.
I just adore this little guy. He sits in the window and gets so much attention. He's a cheeky chap who looks like he's in a hurry, possibly because he's just pinched someone else's nuts? I'm particularly fond of his flowery, red legs.
'Tea Leaf' is also Barbara's favourite squirrel and I can't understand why he's not got a home yet.
I'm confident he will though, so in the meantime I just enjoy watching his mischievous manner.

Leaving you with this:

They say a picture says a thousand words and I do believe this lovely photo says a lot about how people are reacting to Barbara's incredible creations.

Have a great weekend all!

GET READY!

The Menagerie is coming!

Featured here are 'Yellow Flower', 'Work of Art' and 'Cafe Creme' and are just 3 of the fabulous creations Barbara Franc has made for her solo exhibition.

TIP: This is a MUST SEE exhibition!

God's Grandeur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 'God's Grandeur', oil and pencil on card by Joyce Gunn Cairns.

 

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

    It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

    It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

    And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

    And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

    There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

    Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

    World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

God's Grandeur, Gerard Manley Hopkins.

In The Company of Birds

This month at UG sees us doing a spot of bird watching:

and.....

This is a must see for everyone who enjoys the company of birds!
See you all Thursday x x

CHRISTMAS

There's no escaping it folks......

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!

The State of The Union

Hello everyone,

It's not by chance that I titled this blog as such.

As the Chinese curse says, 'may you live in interesting times', and we most certainly are. What a shame there's so many people out there scared about their and their children's futures, coupled with Mr Salmond's determination to march on and split us all up....we most definitely are living in interesting times.
At UG we just experienced our second anniversary and I've been a bit selfish and spent a whole afternoon reflecting on all that has happened. I'm no politician, I'm merely an artist. However, I do believe amazing things have happened in our 'happy space' in the face of diversity.
Establishing any business is a frightening prospect at the best of times. To do so in the economic doldrums is even tougher and involves many sleepless nights, but I revert back to my original message and genuine belief that, even in challenging times, good things can happen. This is something I largely attribute to the artists and gallery visitors....forward thinking, resourceful and enlightened individuals are very much the people to pull through in a crisis.
People pulling together, showing mutual respect and genuine support for each other in difficult times has proved to be a winner in this particular situation. In nature's terms...safety in numbers helps and it's easier to face the big bad world when you're not alone.
Briefly, when thinking of a name for our gallery, we struggled. It had to be definitive and something that could not be changed overnight. I found it interesting that there's Union Gallery's all over the world: Student Unions, Union this and that, the list is endless. However, here in Edinburgh, there's never been a Union Gallery until now, and ours is a true union of gallery, artists and visitors.
Hand on my heart, I believe that we are simply warming up. Union Gallery and the artists have so much more to offer. So far this year we have been enthralled and amazed by artists Audrey Grant, Barbara Franc and Janet Melrose. Who can forget this fella:

"Man Standing with Yellow Background", oil on canvas by Audrey Grant.

As we hit the hopefully not so terrible two's, we welcome award winning artist Colin Brown who's work excites and intrigues all who see it.
Next month sees four very bold and individual artists unite for the first time within the four walls, and I promise you it's going to be spectacular.
Here's a little taster:

The latest beauty from artist David Hosie.
I am especially pleased that we see the return of award winning artist Norrie Harman's work to Edinburgh. He is ready, his work is ready and I know you're ready!

Fear not, if you think things couldn't get better then you need to witness this:

"Love Letter", oil on canvas by the incredible Philip Braham.

Philip Braham's solo exhibition, "Still." will be showcased during the Edinburgh Festival. Definitely one not to miss.
All in all, I'm overjoyed and enthusiastic about the state of the Union.


Speak soon....

Horses for Courses

Hello everyone

I thought we could do a spot of horsing around today and take a closer look at sculptor Barbara Franc's magnificent horses in her first ever Scottish solo exhibition, "Diversity".

"Ride on a Fine Horse", steel wire, copper wire, tin and brass by Barbara Franc.
Barbara used to keep horses and even trained to be a riding instructor, so has always been fascinated by their power and physique. Barbara explains "the debt owed to them by humanity as the early fast vehicle of trade and conquest has always been a subject for artists since the dawn of time".

"Time Flies", steel wire & recycled material by Barbara Franc.
I wholly admire sculptors. Like many other painters, I find trying to create an accomplished image on 2D really hard...it's so difficult and taxing on the brain! However, to create something in 3D, so that it appears anatomically perfect, tactile and pleasing to the eye from all angles...that's mind blowing.
Here's another fine horse:

This is award artist Janet Melrose's horse toughing it out against the harsh winter of 2010/11.
As you can see he was well cared for with his blanket, and given plenty of scoff to keep him fit.
Nature is an incredible thing. It's hard to believe that under all that snow and frozen ice it was still working hard, working it's magic, and 3 months later provides us with joy like this:

We all welcome and enjoy the sights of the awesome blossoms, here we see it perfectly celebrated in:

"Birds on the Damson", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

Award winning artist Janet Melrose's first Edinburgh solo exhibition, "A Still Life", opens Thursday May 5th. GET VOTING AND GET VIEWING PEOPLE!

 Speak soon x

Bird Song

Hello everyone

I wanted to show you a very special guest in award winning sculptor Barbara Franc's solo exhibition, "Diversity".

This sweet little chap is called Edgar.
Edgar came to stay with Barbara Franc just before Christmas last year and proved to be quite an inspiration.
Barbara explains to me that crows in particular are very intelligent birds, and that it is not uncommon for them to turn to humans when in need. Sadly Edgar died peacefully of old age, but he was given a loving home in his dotage and Barbara naturally got very attached to him.

You can see why! What beautiful and trusting eyes. Birds are very intelligent and you can tell from this photo that Edgar felt safe and comfortable in his new surroundings.
Here he is lovingly immortalised:

"Black Crow", steel wire & recycled materials by Barbara Franc.

I already knew the touching story of Edgar and had seen the photos of this magnificent bird with the searching eyes. So I confess that when I unwrapped the above sculpture and saw his eyes staring back at me, it pulled the heart strings. Barbara Franc has captured Edgar's personality with great care: In the eyes alone she has given him soul and created a fitting tribute.
Thankfully, "Black Crow" now also has a loving home: as I've said before, I love happy endings :)

Previously I have posted blogs on artists and their studio cats and dogs. I think about the special bonds between humans and their faithful companions quite a lot. Personally, I'm an animal lover and if I'm painfully honest, sometimes I prefer the company of my pets to humans.
So, I will leave you with another touching story:

This is little Chirpie in the studio of award winning artist Janet Melrose. Janet's solo exhibition, "A Still Life" opens next month and promises to be an exhibition of real beauty and sensitivity. This photo was taken way back in the summer of 2009 and was an enlightening introduction to Janet Melrose and her work. Janet rescued little Chirpie as she was being relentlessly picked on by the rest of her flock. Being a baby and without Janet's careful observation and swift intervention, Chirpie would surely not have survived. However, lucky Chripie is now thriving and much like the story of Barbara Franc and Edgar, it reveals wonderful acts of kindness and character-a genuine love and respect for nature.

Wishing you all a lovely Easter....if you're passing by I can introduce you to Edgar personally!

The Incredible Journey

Hello All

Some of you may know that I popped down to London last weekend to collect the entire body of work for Barbara Franc's solo exhibition, 'Diversity'.  It was a pretty uneventful trip, apart from a spell of paranoia that every vehicle that came close to me was going to crash into the van and destroy all the beautiful sculpture in the back.  Needless to say, I managed to avoid that potential calamity.  It was certainly worth the trip, as I get to spend some time with this amazing work, and was able to make sure it arrived safely for everyone to see.  I also finally got to meet Barbara after all this time (we've been showing her work for over a year now).


I did stop for a break, however, at Carlisle Service Station, and I felt the need to release a few of the beasts for some fresh air:

'Time Flies' and 'Ride on a Fine Horse', grazing.
The presence of such fine beast in the dreary of the service station had a lovely calming and cheering effect on those who saw them, just as they do on everyone who comes into the gallery at the moment.

'Reynard' checking out the bins. And:

'Mischievous Magpie' trying to pinch someones burger (not mine!).

Eventually, once we had all had our break, we were on our way again and the result is:

A gallery full of truly outstanding sculpture that should not be missed.  I cannot recommend strongly enough that you all come in to see this wonderful exhibition...full of fun and tremendous skill.  Barbara Franc has been working on this, her first solo exhibition in Scotland, for over a year, and I guarantee that you will leave the gallery with a big grin and an invigorated spirit.

See you soon....

Something Magical

"I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else". Pablo Picasso.

Barbara Franc solo exhibition, 'Diversity', coming soon..........

Foxy Ladies!

Hello everyone

I hope you have all been out and about and enjoying the better weather!

This is a special blog as we have 2 very special exhibitions coming up at Union Gallery. April the 11th sees the arrival of award winning sculptor Barbara Franc's new work for her first Scottish solo exhibition, "Diversity". 30 new pieces of work, varying in scale and subject; all perfectly crafted; all simply brilliant. "Diversity" opens on Thursday, April 14th.
Introducing......

"Reynard" by Barbara Franc. Wire netting, steel wire and red oxide.
This stunning chap will be making a trip with all his other companions in a van all the way from London. By the time he reaches Edinburgh, he will be one well travelled fox. I can't wait to meet him!

"Reynard". Profile.
There is much to admire in Barbara's work. I am always amazed by her care and attention to detail. There's as much love and commitment in the small scale works as there is in the larger sculptures. We are always being force-fed the importance of recycling, so I'm sure you will agree, that this is an inspired and ingenious form of recycling.
Barbara was rather modest about making her debut on the blog. However, Newton, her studio cat was more than happy to represent her:

I often think that foxes get an awful lot of bad press. Considered as vermin and a pest to many, I personally believe and I think both artists Barbara Franc and Janet Melrose (who's solo exhibition will be in May) would agree with me, that there is much to admire in them. Of course they are 'cunning', but they are so much more than that. I think they are beautiful and mysterious, inquisitive and intelligent animals. As the modern day world relentlessly encroaches on their natural habitats, they have adapted like the true survivors they are, and I find them welcome visitors to our cities. They are, after all, merely scraping by and surely deserve their place in natures grand plan.
So here is award winning artist Janet Melrose:

Sporting those 'famous' dungarees, I admire Janet's no nonsense and unglamorous approach to her vocation. I'm sure many artists will recognise this 'there's work to be done' attitude. Forget image, the work comes first.

"Spot the Fox", acrylic on canvas.
This painting was given a home in a heart beat. However there will be other foxes appearing in Janet Melrose's solo exhibition "A Still Life", as the fox motif is a recurring theme in her work.
"A Still Life" opens on May 5th, and I canny wait!

Have a great weekend all x

A Dog's Life

Hello eveyone

I recently posted a blog as a nod to all the studio cats out there - past and present.
As promised, now it's time for the hounds. They say that dogs age 7 years in comparison to us humans, so for the purposes of this blog, I've tried to narrow it down to 7 lucky pooches.  I apologise in advance to any 4 legged friends I have not included....I may have let an extra one or two slip in.
As with the pussy blog, I will start with my own:

Spring Hippo! Many of you will already be familiar with Tommy ('Tickles') the boxer. He's a loving and loyal companion who is aprroaching his twilight years. Everyday with Tommy is a blessing now. He's getting a bit older and has a touch of arthritis, so he needs some extra TLC.  At Union Gallery we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a bespoke knitted jumper c/o artist Hannah Haworth. Thanks Hannah!
Tommy is from Boxer Welfare Scotland. If you want to give a squishy face a new home then take a look:

http://www.boxerwelfarescotland.co.uk/

Next:

Hmm. This is Harry the insane Dalmation. Harry is also 'recycled'. Indeed, we are Harry's 4th owners at the tender age of 3. Although it's been hard work and realistically Harry is not allowed a single spot inside my studio, I love him dearly for his madness. Remember the golden rule; "a dog is for life not just for Christmas". All that's spotty is not all fairytales and 102 Dalmations!
All the way from NYC:

This is Cocoa, studio companion and (sometimes) model to artist, sculptor and knitting genius Hannah Haworth. Here she is modeling that coveted jumper. Cocoa is also a rescue dog and I think she has landed on her paws being taken in by someone like Hannah.
Introducing:

Lovely Leda, compadre of deadly talented artist Dylan Lisle. I had the honour of having my face licked off by Leda just the other night whilst discussing Dylan's next exhibition in 2012. HINT....it's going to be incredible!
Next up:

The back ends of Pip & Oscar! These 2 beautiful pointers are a continuing source of inspiration (and exasperation) to award winning artist Janet Melrose. This photo was taken on a recent studion visit in preperation for Janet's solo exhibition "A Still Life", in May. HINT....it's also going to be stunning and some wise early birds are already pecking around.
Nearly ending on this fella:

This is Rufus, sporting his winter coat. Another model, companion and inpiration to award winning sculptor Barabara Franc. HINT....Barbara Franc's first solo exhibition in Scotland, "Diversity", opens on Thursday 14th April, interest is high and I can guarantee that you won't see another exhibition like this. A huge thanks in advance to Barbara for all her hard work.

Ending with this fella:

This is Humphrey. I have a soft spot for 'Humfs' as I affectionatley call him.....and his master. He is constant studio companion to figurative artist Frank McNab, who I visited recently to have a look at his compelling work. You can take a closer look at Frank's work here:

http://frankmcnab.com/index

Incidentally, if you don't come in and see the excellent work in the current exhibition "Making Waves" then you'd be barking mad!

Signing off......Cruella De Vil.....

A Tale of 9 Lives

Hello everyone

A big welcome to Douglas Fraser. Thanks for joining us!

This is a happy blog entry to kick start another pawsome week.

I recently made a studio visit to award winning artist Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE's studio to fully appreciate her exquisite work. Joyce will be showing with us in July and I will be sure to let you know all about it in good time. I was very excited by Joyce's work, and was even lucky enough to get a sneaky peek through her drawers. It's not everyday you get to say that!
I was really taken by a small drawing of her dearly departed cat, Seamus, on the studio wall. Sadly I didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo of it at the time, but it struck me because it was very similar to a drawing I did of my own kitty, Pluto, in my art student days:

I sold the original drawing at my degree show so this is a photo of a scan, behind glass, so the image is a bit dodgy. It was much better in real life..... I promise!
Anyway, it got me thinking about how many artists I know that are animal lovers. I wonder if it is that we are quite sensitive souls by nature, and that we enjoy the gentle but fullfilling company of our loyal and unconditional loving friends?
So this blog is for all those studio cats....we can't get enough of you!

HOLD THE PRESS!:

 






We now have Seamus! Isn't he beautiful?

Back to my own pussy:

So here is Pluto who I acquired in my 3rd year at ECA. Being a mug I actually got 2 from the litter, but sadly Holly left this world a long time ago. At the grand old age of 14 Pluto's still up to his old tricks and annoying me by blocking the TV.
Many of you will be familiar with Scottish treasure Elizabeth Blackadder and her cats:

Simply gorgeous.

Northern kitties:

Terrible twosome Lola, left, and Millie, recent studio companions to award winning artist Fiona Jappy who sadly lost her former companion earlier this year. They look like real mischievous moggies!
A regal feline:

This is Rosie, an Egyptian meow.....sorry, Mau! Rosie is studio accomplise to flower painter extrodinaire Jenny Matthews. Here she is getting in on the action:

Now that's a beautiful drawing.
Award winning artist and coincidently, former student of Elizabeth Blackadder, Jenny Matthews will be showing again next year in a duet with fellow contemporary, Janet Melrose. Janet Melrose's stunning solo exhibition will be in May this year. Again, I will let you know all about it.
Next:

This is Pearl, the bonnie British Blue. Pearl lives with Andy Green and Karen-Claire Voss who have a most excellent printing company which you can read more about here:

http://www.pearlprints.co.uk/index-about.html

 I really like this little pussy:

This cute little menace is Newton. Ever enthusiastic, but perhaps a bit distracting to outstanding sculptor Barbara Franc. Interestingly, Barbara trained under another Scottish treasure John Bellany, yet progressed into 3D work. Iam VERY excited that Barbara will be having a solo exhibition with us next month. You MUST see it.
Leaving you with this:

"Ginger Cat" oil on canvas by Henry Kondracki.
Ok, so Henry doesn't have a studio cat however, he quite likes moggies and this tiny painting is of his neighbours cat 'Ron' - so named after Ronald Weasley of Harry Potter fame.
I'm a massive fan of Henry Kondracki's work and in my humble opinion he is another Scottish treasure.
Purrrrfect.

So that's a nod to the felines DONE. Next time a pat on the back to the studio hounds.

Speak soon