Faded Memories and Retro Chic

Hello everyone,

You may have noticed that, as part of our current exhibition, 'Funpark', we have been exhibiting photography in the gallery for the very first time.  Although this is a bit of a departure for us, the decision was made really easy by the quality and the beauty of Leeds-based photographer Natalie Liddle's work.  In fact, her photographs are an integral part of this exhibition - it would not be so coherent or successful without them.

Now I don't pretend to know a huge amount about photography, but I do know how much impact these photographs have.  Natalie found a box of 35mm slides of the Skegness area, taken by her Grandfather in the 1960's, and they have inspired her to take some images of the area herself, giving a more modern perspective of the area.  Using a traditional, analogue camera and film that is hand printed, and layering it with her Grandfather's slides, Natalie Liddle has created the most wonderfully evocative images, warm with nostalgia yet with a hard edged, contemporary feel to them.

Take a look at this:

'Wild River', medium format, C type photograph, by Natalie Liddle.

And this:

'The Big Man', medium format, C type photograph, by Natalie Liddle.

I love the fact that beneath the 'big man', there is a beautiful little image of Natalie's own big man - her Grandfather.  Very clever.  I also love how these images affect me.  When I was a young lad (admittedly in the 1970's and not the 1960's), my Father used to take us to the funpark at Butlins at Minehead in Somerset, as a treat every now and then.  I'm sure that it was all pretty small scale, but it was exciting and I confess to remembering those days with a hint of warm nostalgia.  Natalie's photographs immediately made me think of those trips especially as, along with much of what is in her Grandfathers slides, the funpark at Minehead is now gone (although the Butlins still exists apparently).

Natalie Liddle describes this work as as play on faded family memories and questioning the evolution of our fading British seaside towns.  For me, it fulfills its brief to perfection: you really should come in and see it soon.

A Special Footnote:
Last time I saw Natalie, she had this camera round her neck:

 













This is a Diana camera, made in Hong Kong almost entirely of plastic (including the lens), and largely given away with magazines in the 1960's.  These cameras may be beautiful pieces of retro chic, but they are also famous for being not very good!  Apparently they don't fit together very well, so light always gets into the film and distorts the image.  However, a by-product of this seemingly calamitous defect is that they can produce fascinating, if rather unpredictable, images.  Natalie regularly works with this camera, producing beautifully corrupted photographs.  I just thought it was a really interesting development for a very cool-looking, but fatally flawed product.
There's hope for us all yet!

The Big Wheel Keeps Turning

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all making the most of the sunshine and getting out and about. If so, VISIT UNION GALLERY NOW to see FUNPARK!

A piece in the exhibition which gets a lot of attention is this:

'Ferris Study II', screen print on aluminium, by Robin Goodall.

Earlier in the year, Robin Goodall and Norrie Harman went to Berlin to investigate the spooky Spreepark on the outskirts of the city.
Spreepark, or Kulturpark as it was know in its hey day, was built in 1969 in what was then East Germany, and was the only amusement park of it's kind in Germany.
One of its most famous attractions for the thrill seekers who visited for over 30 years was the giant Ferris Wheel which offered breathtaking views at a staggering 150 ft.
Spreepark, however, has been abandoned for the last 10 years after it was declared insolvent, and the park has been allowed to fall into disrepair.
In his screen print, Robin Goodall has captured the ghostly and desolate appearance of the Ferris Wheel perfectly - a fitting tribute that is both sad and proud, retaining some of the splendour and comanding presence of yester years.

Robin and Norrie hired bikes in order to get to Spreepark and on approach, but before actually seeing the Wheel, they could hear it creaking and slowly turning in the wind.
I like how Robin has given a fair nod to the formerly loved structure that enthralled so many people for so many years. It's as if the gargantuan structure cannot accept its fate and refuses to yield, still turning under its own steam but without the trill seekers, sad as if trying to relive its former glory. Or maybe it's just showing us its work ethic....after all, the show must go on.

And Now for Something Completely Different.....

Come along on Thursday evening: be prepared to be amazed:

Up The Garden Path: A Couple of Gnomes!

Hello everyone

You might have noticed we don't get out much, so with the improved weather and lighter nights we have been making a conscious effort to make the most of it.
Imagine my delight to discover that every year, on the summer solstice of June 21st, The Edinburgh Botanic Gardens is open until 10.30pm!! With free entry to the glass houses and aquarium. Yippee!!

I have lived in Edinburgh for 18 years and only just discovered this.

Happy Camper 1.....

Happy Camper 2......

My all time favourite glass house. I was tempted to leap frog!

Leaving you with this toe-cringing photo of myself looking shockingly like a crazed garden gnome!

Speak soon x

Up The Garden Path with Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE

Hello everyone

Last time we took a closer look at artist Ruth Addinall's work, this time it's the turn of Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE. In particular this lovely piece:

'Up The Garden Path', oil and pencil on card by Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE.

This slinky looking feline is Nannie, a former companion to Joyce Gunn Cairns.
Those who know her well, know that Joyce is an animal lover and has a particular fondness for cats. She admires there intelligence and loyalty, but at the same time their independent spirit. Put it like that and I see why they tick a lot of Joyce's boxes!
Many years ago, Joyce took her sons to the cat and dog home with aspirations to pick out a really striking looking cat......but came home with Nannie.
Poor Nannie was no great beauty, indeed she was a sorry looking wee thing, but her talents laid elsewhere. In sensing that she had just come across 3 good natured humans, she endeared herself to Joyce's boys by circling round and round their feet. Being youngsters at the time, the boys instantly feel in love with wee Nannie and of course she went home with them. Joyce, slightly disappointed with the choice, soon grew to love her too and believing it was meant to be never looked back. And so it was that Nannie came to be a loyal and loving companion to Joyce and her sons for many happy years.

I really love this painting of Nannie and the story that goes with it. It's a fitting tribute to the old cat to see her immortalised so sensitively. For me the work has a familiar feel to it, almost like a memory.

I think this is the reason why:

This is my good self many, many years ago cuddling my own kitty at the time, 'Birdie'.
Similarly, I remember my mum being a little disappointed in our new puss at the time. She'd come from a litter that were born in a haulage/truck garage which was also home to 2 huge guard dogs. On a visit there my dad took pity on this tiny kitten squeaking from the jaws of one of the hounds. That little kitten miraculously disappeared from that garage....making her way to our home.
She was a poor thing too, filthy, fleas-ridden, underweight and somewhat 'mismatched' in her markings, but I loved her to bits and she was my best friend for many years.
She also turned out to be a first class hunter. Indeed, 2 minutes after that photo was taken I stood, bare foot (it was a gorgeous summers day) on one of her victims. I still remember the horrible sensation of standing on the tiny mouse!
On further inspection, there turned out to be close to 10 little corpses in that part of our garden.
I never went bare foot in Birdie's graveyard again!

Hurry back to see who we're going Up The Garden Path with next.....

Up The Garden Path with artist Ruth Addinall.

Hello everyone

I hope you have all been enjoying the much improved weather!

So, our Up The Garden Path exhibition continues and is proving to be a perfect fit for the time of year....fingers crossed that the fair weather continues.

There are 10 artists contributing to this mixed exhibition, and the first that I'd like to take a closer look at is Ruth Addinall. I have picked her out as she has been instrumental in this exhibition, even providing the inspiration for the title of the show.
3 years ago I visited Ruth in her studio and I remember the experience well:
It was pouring with rain on a Sunday morning, and all in all the day was looking quite grim. However, walking through Ruth's front door, my spirits were immediately lifted - I was instantly struck by how calm and peaceful her home was. As she showed me round her home, I remember getting excited every time I came across a cracking wee painting casually lying against a wall, hanging on a wall or in progress on her easel.
There was something of an aura in Ruth's house which was very relaxing and brought a sense of contentment to me. I guess it was Ruth's aura. She is a warm, gentle and thoughtful person and I think this radiates not only in her home, but in her work too. Take a look at this:

'Hellebores and Ivy in a Mug', oil on paper by Ruth Addinall.
A seemingly straight forward still life, it sits perfectly and is almost humble in appearance; it is gentle in subject matter, sensitively rendered and endlessly rewarding to look at. It makes me feel relaxed and content to look at.
Apart from her paintings I discovered another masterpiece at Ruth's house, her garden.
Having moved in 6 years ago, she has worked tirelessly to transform her outside space from concrete slabs and overgrown jungle into her very own oasis of calm. This is Ruth's first garden and there has been a great deal of trial and error, which I'm sure many a gardener will recognise.  But after a lot of hard work and commitment, the results have been well worth it.
Before:

and

from chaos.....

comes order

and peace and tranquillity.
Leaving you with this:

Not content with being just a pretty face, a great artist and being green-fingered, Ruth Addinall is also a brilliant pianist who tutors youngsters on how to get the best out of the ivories.
This is her piano in her front room looking onto that lovely garden.
Often when I look at Ruth's work I imagine her sitting peacefully at her piano, mainly in the evening and making beautiful music.

Have a lovely weekend all x

Up The Garden Path

The month of June sees us tending to our gardens:

What will you fine up the garden path?

Join us for a summery evening to celebrate the wonders of the flora and fauna (and much more) that inhabit our gardens.

See you tomorrow!