The Grant Nose, You Know

Hello everyone

As we are moving into the last week of the Audrey Grant solo exhibition, I thought we'd take a closer look at specific parts of her figures....mainly the nose!

There have been quite a few comments that Audrey 'does a good nose', and indeed she does. The one below is my favourite nose in the show:

'Man with Blue Background', oil on canvas, detail.

Now, it's not just the noses that 'stand out', and what also really excites me about Audrey's paintings is her superior handling of paint. For the other paint nerds out, there here's a real treat:

'Man with Blue Background', oil on canvas, detail II.

Cor, I'm not sure it gets much better than that! Impressive and confident sculpting with thick, thick oil paint. On closer inspection these seemingly random and abstract marks do not appear coherent, but step back a little from the painting and they sit together beautifully in unison. Looking closely at this painting, I'm not even 100% sure what Audrey is using here. A brush? The end of a brush? A palette knife? Fingers? Or perhaps a combination of all four. I will enjoy the time I have left with this painting to look on in wonder.
Here's another cracking example of this masterful command of paint:

'Man II', oil on canvas, detail.

Looking at Audrey's noses I am reminded of the classic Rembrandt nose which, it is well documented, was often half a finger thick and his portraits could be lifted from the ground by the nose.

I can't help thinking that if Rembrandt were around to see this exhibition, he'd give a nod of approval to the Audrey Grant nose.

'Man IV', oil on canvas, detail.

Please do come in for a nosy at the noses and to see what is quite simply a sensational exhibition.

Speak soon.

Raw Emotion

Hello everyone,

Something special is going on at UG this month, and if you haven't been in to see it, you are missing out.

We first exhibited work by Audrey Grant back in 2011 along with artist Martyn McKenzie in the hugely successful Being Human exhibition.  Since then, we have been waiting for this, her first major solo exhibition, and we have not been disappointed - this is an exhibition of extraordinary quality.
Have a look at this:

'Woman Holding her Right Arm', oil on canvas, by Audrey Grant.

And this:

'Man with Blue Background', oil on canvas, by Audrey Grant.

These are powerful and beautifully created paintings that have a strong impact on the viewer. Some see Audrey Grant’s paintings austere and somewhat sinister, yet there is sensitivity to the work that leaves her audience deeply moved by the viewing experience. This new body of work has been in the making for some 18 months and continues Audrey's exploration of the human figure and the painted surface. Her figures are mainly solitary and isolated, with her interest being in the presence they evoke in an unspecified space.  These figures often appear ill at ease, and this physical and emotional awkwardness forces us into a powerful sense of compassion.  No names, no possessions and generally alone in the world, they can appear as ‘lost souls’ who need our care and attention.  When viewing Audrey Grant’s paintings, there is an uncomfortable feeling that you know who these strange figures are, or can even see yourself reflected in them.  How interesting, then, that she claims that she ‘doesn’t know who they are’ – they are simply the result of her craft as an artist.

Audrey's paintings take months to develop: she is a 'physical' painter, who fights and nurtures her paintings every step of the way, and that can be an exhausting experience where often the hand to eye coordination can't keep up with the brain.  The result is fascinating – one can feel that intensity and passion in the work.  

But you shouldn't take my word for all this, you should have a look yourself.  Since the Being Human exhibition, Audrey has won the David Gilchrist Memorial Award at the RGI and, just three weeks ago, the Ann Redpath Award at the VAS exhibition currently on at the RSA here in Edinburgh.  So it is clear that it's not just the opinion of Union Gallery that Audrey Grant is one of the finest painters working in Scotland today, and I know you will agree if you come in before the end of the month.

Speak soon.

Openings, Hangings & Shenanigans

Hello everyone

So we have almost recovered from the excitement of Audrey Grant's exhibition opening.
What a great night!

I thought I'd share a few snaps of the hanging, opening and the exhibition generally.
Of course, the best way to experience Audrey Grant's paintings properly is to see them for real so please come in to see for yourself.

Here's a good place to start:

What goes on behind closed doors:

Rob handling administration during the hanging.

My good self 'faffing'.
Does my bum look big in this?!?

One frantic opening!

One happy UG team!
Photo shows Leopold (our wonderful intern from Edinburgh University), artist Martyn McKenzie who exhibited with Audrey last year, Audrey Grant herself and Robert Dawkins.

Leaving you with this:

An outbreak of measels has occured at UG.
Well done Audrey Grant!

Speak soon.

Audrey Grant Solo Exhibition

18 months in the making.....

The wait is finally over......

The wait was definitely worth it.
See you all for the opening!

Patience is a Virtue

Hello everyone,

There's just a few days more to enjoy our wonderful and uplifting exhibition, In the Company of Birds, that has been so enjoyed by those who have found the time to come to UG in February.

It would be remiss of us not to look in a little detail at some of the beautiful work created by artist Jenny Matthews specifically for this exhibition.
Have a look at this:

'Birds of a Feather I', watercolour on paper, by Jenny Matthews.
 And this:

'Birds of a Feather II', watercolour on paper, by Jenny Matthews.

It will come as no surprise to learn that these two stunning paintings have attracted a great deal of attention since the exhibition opened.  They are quite, quite beautiful, and a testament to the immense talent that Jenny Matthews has at her disposal.  They are also testament to her commitment and attention to detail.  As she explains:
'The feathers are so beautiful that I wanted to paint them as studies. The green feather I found in the Lake District 4 years ago, there are Jay feathers, Pheasant, Peacock, and seabird feathers from Tyningham beach. The black and white spotted ones are from my husbands sister’s wedding when his mother dressed up in the evening to entertain the guests in a hat decorated with feathers from a neighbour’s Guinea Fowl flock (they’re all farmers round there)! Note that I don’t use white gouache or masking fluid: the white is the paper.'

So, these paintings have been some four years in the making!  Jenny collects items of interest wherever she goes, knowing that one day the right painting will materialise for them to find a home. Here are those feathers laid out for painting:

We would like to thank Jenny, and all the other artists who have taken part in In the Company of Birds, for contributing to what is an exhibition of outstanding quality and beauty.

If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out.....

Sir Francis Drake & Lady Penelope

Hello everyone

I'd like to bring your attention to a particularly lovely piece in the current exhibition, 'In The Company of Birds'.
Some of you may have already read about it in the fantastic Spurtle review but if not, cut and paste this into your browser to learn more about it and others in the exhibition:

http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/shock-flock

'In The Company of Birds' exhibition was given it's title after a painting that Janet Melrose RSW made for her exhibition here with Jenny Matthews. It was a beauty and everyone wanted it.....including me!

'In The Company of Birds', mixed media on paper by Janet Melrose RSW.
As you can see it was perfect and, I felt, the starting point for a fantastic exhibition.

We visited Janet in her studio earlier in the year to see what other beauties she had created for this show. To be fair all her work is beautiful, but this one really stood out:

'Sir Francis Drake & Lady Penelope', mixed media on paper by Janet Melrose.
Just like 'In The Company of Birds', to my mind, this painting is perfect.
It gets its intriguing title from Janet's own ducks seen here:

Sir Francis Drake!
And again:

Janet Melrose RSW with Lady Penelope and Sir Francis Drake, who are Muscovy ducks originating from Asia. I didn't know that bit - Janet - told me, but it sounds good I think!
As you can see from the photo, it was white with snow in Perthshire, where Janet lives, which made driving conditions pretty tricky on our visit to her studio.
No such problems for her lovely ducks, however, who it seems enjoyed their travels in the snow......

Hurry back for more tweets soon!

The Messengers

Hello everyone

I thought you might like to learn something about the incredibly striking installation by Czech multi-media artist, Marcela Trsova, which is currently wowing visitors to the new exhibition, 'In the Company of Birds'.  

Made of  coated copper wire and real feathers, Marcela has painstakingly created her own birds in flight which, hanging from the ceiling, gently sway with the drafts in the gallery.  With a solitary Jay in the middle, surrounded by Magpies and Crows, the result is quite stunning - calming, thought- provoking and menacing all at the same time.

Here's what Marcela has to say about them:

"Flight has always represented freedom from the physical restrictions of  earthbound life, and the ascent of the soul to the Gods - either through mystical experience or through death.  Birds share something of the same symbolic meaning, but because they come from the skies they can also assume the role of messengers from higher powers, whether for good or for ill.
In Kabbalah, Renaissance magic, and in alchemy, the language of the birds was considered a secret, perfect language, and the key to perfect knowledge.  In many cultures across the world, the language of birds is the mystical language of angels and interestingly, the English word 'angel' comes from the biblical Greek word 'angelos', which means messengers - the messengers of the truth.
In mythology and superstition, crows and magpies have always been associated with bad omens, bad luck, or as the messengers of death.  This may be because of the colour of their feathers - black - and their nature (feeding on carrion).  The Jay however, although from the same family (corvids), symbolises truth, fairness and solidarity.  In the spiritual realm, the jay speaks of clarity and vision.  In Native American culture, the azure of the jay set against the blue sky indicated a 'double vision', or double clarity.  This visual and spiritual 'blue on blue' concept speaks of purity of the soul, truth of the heart, and clarity of the soul."

I always like and admire the research and thought that goes into all Marcela Trsova's creations, and we must also thank her for the dedication she has to her craft.  Here she is, at close to midnight, putting the final touches to The Messengers.

Speak soon.