2018 is the Year of Young People and as part of this we’re showing art made and curated by young people from Dumfries and Galloway. To start off this year, and following on from last year’s successful Advance exhibition, pupils from the Advance Higher Art courses display their portfolio submissions in an innovative display in Gallery 2.
A broad selection of the region’s secondary schools will participate in the show and it will feature the work of the 2016/17 cohort. Some of the students who are in the exhibition are currently studying art for college and university but others pursued art in sixth year purely for the pleasure and experience of studying a creative subject at this level. Shown alongside is a selection of photographic works created by senior school pupils as part of a photography project the 2017 Don McCullin exhibition at Gracefield, led by Dumfries-born photographer Sam Finch – an ideal opportunity to enjoy seeing the work of our home-grown talent and also inspire younger pupils to thinking about pursuing a creative path.
Councillor Andy Ferguson says: “The art from our schools is remarkable, and bodes well for the future generations of creative talent from the region – congratulations to all for bringing this work to the gallery where we all get to enjoy it!.”
Across in Gallery 1, also opening the weekend of the 13th is: A Curious Eye: Celebrating the Art Collections of Eric Robinson and Dickie Hewlett.
Art lover and collector Eric Robinson, has been based in Edinburgh since the mid- 1980s and most of his large collection is displayed in his elegant New Town flat. His collection dates from about 1500 to the present day and includes 19th, 20th and 21st century Scottish artists; European graphic work and textiles. For this special exhibition on loan, Eric has chosen 30 pieces that reflect over 60 years of collecting and includes key Scottish artists such as Anne Redpath, Elizabeth Blackadder, Peter McLaren and Robert Colquhoun.
Dickie Hewlett (1918-2011) was brought up near Dumfries and it was her wish for her art collection to return to the place of her formative years. She and husband Roy were keen collectors and by the 1960s, when they had settled permanently in London, they gradually began to assemble a collection of Scottish artists work but the rest of the collection is simply a reflection of their taste and life-long interest and features fascinating prints by Picasso, Matisse, Braques and Miro. Dickie’s collection came to Gracefield as a bequest in 2013.
Join us on Saturday 13th from 2pm when Eric will give an informal talk on his passion for collecting.
John Martin, vice chair of the Communities committee, remarked “This collection show really does showcase the passion that collectors have and we are very lucky in Dumfries that they are willing and able to share their love of art with us – it’s inspiring to hear about their choices and see the works.”
Gracefield is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-5pm, exhibitions are always free admission.
