Impact

Hello everyone,

A warm welcome to our latest followers. It's nice to have you with us.

I noticed this lovely message left in award-winning artist Janet Melrose's visitors book:

"I don't know if I've ever looked at a painting in a magazine or online and felt the same impact as when seeing it face to face".

The comment is spot on of course, and I believe goes someway to reinforce the importance of galleries as public spaces....for all to experience, share and enjoy.
I have likened Janet's exhibition to a 'stage set' in that it is perfect, intriguing and transports you to another world. The overriding opinion at Union Gallery is that it's to a better world.
Here are some tasters:

and...

I simply can't get enough.

 
Leaving you with some more impact:

"Antonine Hill", oil on canvas by Philip Braham.
Philip Braham is another award-winning artist who has shown all over the world. Philip's solo exhibition, "Still". will open during the Edinburgh Festival in August. Please contact Union Gallery for more details and to ensure an invitation to see something with serious impact.

Speak soon

Delicate Things

Hello everyone,

I would like to draw your attention to a very special number in Janet Melrose's solo exhibition, "A Still Life". Firstly though, by way of introduction, I wanted to show you this:

Oddly enough, this time last year I was out walking Union Gallery hound Harry, and came across this perfect little birds nest. And, like last year, I will stress that I didn't hijack it from a tree, I simply came across it on the path. I couldn't resist the urge to pick it up and inspect the fine craftsmanship. I also said in that blog that I immediately thought of artists Janet Melrose and Jenny Matthews, believing that they would also appreciate this perfect piece of nature.
And so, one year on, we have another work of perfection:

"Delicate Things", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.
Artist Janet Melrose has, in the past, made comment about her 'generic' birds. Yes, it's true to say her birds are often stylised, but this is not to be confused with being frivolous or cartoon-like. Janet's seemingly effortless birds are captured in the moment, skillfully recording their very essence. To me, the bird featured in "Delicate Things" is anything but generic. Her beady eye is alert and watches anxiously, staring right at you whilst she sits protectively over the fragile fruits of her labour.
I have a feeling that who ever secures this treasure will also have an eye for all things delicate and special.

Leaving you with a couple more delicate and special things:

No. We did not prepare them earlier! These tiny visitors are the gorgeous twin girls of our good friends Sam and Nina Gough.
Little Cassia is on the left and Poppy is on the right.....we think!

Speak soon x

Look Closer

Hello everyone,

Firstly, a huge thank you to all who have been in to view award winning artist Janet Melrose's solo exhibition, "A Still Life". And thank you to those who have been in many times now as "it makes me feel good". I completely understand this and my old habits of sneaking in early and leaving a wee bit later have returned ten-fold.
A closer look at this:

"Look Closer", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.
Janet Melrose's exhibition was always going to be special and was the perfect celebration for the month of May. Ok, we seem to be experiencing 'April Showers' this month, but the long, dark cold nights of the incredible winter of 2010 are far behind us. It's time for people to feel better and Janet's work offers calm and inspiration to all who see it. I find it intoxicating and feel Union Gallery currently offers sanctuary.
For me, the above painting goes someway to explain the beauty and sensitivity in Janet Melrose's work. I think it's fair to say that we are living in challenging times, in reality brutal times, Yet I look at this enchanting painting (even the title is perfect), and I am encouraged. If you are daring enough to take 10 minutes out of your gruelling schedule, or have the need to get out out of the office at lunch, then go for a walk. I do this as often as I can to get some thinking space and calm time. To see the birds, bees and blossoms reminds you that there are still perfect and beautiful things in the world. Janet Melrose's exhibition really does encourage you to 'look closer' and focus on the things we often take for granted.
Janet herself described the process of making the work for this exhibition as 'carthartic'. I can feel this completely and for those who see it, there is a similar sensation. Here's a comment from Janet's visitor's book: "May 11th 2011. Crap day. Came into the gallery again to clear my head. The paintings are a breath of fresh air, clearing my brain, filling it with an empty space of beauty, now can go out and handle the crap without it getting me down".

"New Beginning", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

Have a lovely weekend.

Janet Melrose: 'A Still Life'

Hello Everyone

It may be true that a picture paints a thousand words, but for Janet Melrose's first solo exhibition in Edinburgh, just the right words exist:
http://bit.ly/m6RWIR
Written by Jan Patience, art writer and blogger extraordinaire (http://janpatience.blogspot.com)

Great writing, I am sure you will agree.

Tweet soon...

Waiting for the Tulips

Watching...

Waiting.....

The wait is over:

"Waiting on the Tulips", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

"A Still Life" opens Thursday 6-8pm. Intoxicating!

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!