Squarescapes at Coldstream Museum

As well as working at Coldstream Gallery and teaching, Rich has managed to produce a fabulous set of his squarescapes ready to exhibit at Coldstream Museum at the end of March, it is going to look brilliant! Do pop in to Coldstream Gallery to see us after!

Crossing Borders Exhibition at Coldstream Gallery

The lovely Coldstream Gallery is hosting its annual Crossing Borders Exhibition featuring work by artists working all over the Borders.  It is a great chance to see a variety of work from members of the artist collective all in one venue and Rich and I are happy to be exhibiting there.

Calendulas by Rich Johnson

detail of work by Niall Campbell

Laura Johnson Sea Glass, Pottery and Recycled Silver Jewellery

 To see more from the exhibition pop on over to Coldstream Gallery's facebook page and give them a like!

Crossing Borders Exhibition at Coldstream Gallery

Next week sees the opening of the Crossing Borders Spring Exhibition at Coldstream Gallery.

Crossing Borders Spring Exhibition 2014 at Coldstream Gallery

Both Rich and I have been working on pieces for this exhibition including these daffodils which I would like to keep hanging on our wall, March at last, come on the spring!

Daffodils, oil on board, Rich Johnson

 This morning a man delivered a box of bulbs for the garden and, despite having to answer the door in a dressing gown, walking socks and a towel on my head, it left me excited for the coming change in the seasons.

Mr Delivery Man, I apologise that every time you come to our door laden with good things I answer in various states of hurried dishevelment. I will try better in the future but I'm not usually at my best before 8am!



 

The Stone Wall Gallery: Olivia Lomenech Gill

Last week saw the opening of a beautiful new gallery, The Stone Wall Gallery near Preston, Duns.  The opening exhibition features work by Charles Poulsen and Olivia Lomenech Gill.

I first saw Olivia Lomenech Gill's work at Charlie and Pauline's open studio in August. I don't think I've ever blogged about it yet. Rich and I have gone to Allanbank Mill Steading every year since we moved and find inspiration each time in the work exhibited and from the artists themselves.

The first encounter was War Horse. Beautiful, large scale etching in response to and for Michael Morpurgo's writing? One glance and I was entranced, even more so having had a chance to look again. Layered, textured, emotive.

  

Image courtesy of the artist and The Stone Wall Gallery website

One of my fondest memories of teaching was sitting on the windowsill at the back of my class room reading with my classes. On one occasion I was perched aloft and finishing Morpurgo's Private Peaceful  with my year 9s. In those days year 9 was all about national curriculum testing and levels. I hated that fact, they hated that fact and it was a joy to be able to share a novel with them, to explore, respond and enjoy. They were marvelous. So, reaching the final few pages of a book that has reduced me to weeping my voice wavered a little. A certain student, who was fully capable of being a challenge, raised his hand and quietly asked, 'Miss, would like me to finish reading for you?'

And now, I've had the chance to see this beautiful work and even have a selection of my rings in the same exhibition.  This makes me happy.

Number Four Gallery, St Abbs, Christmas Show

This week I've been working on new pieces for Number Four Gallery's Christmas Show. I will also be working at the gallery on the preview weekend on the 16th and 17th November so come and see all the beautiful work, have a glass and a nibble and say hello!

Printmakers at Coldstream Gallery

Currently showing at Coldstream Gallery is a delightful Printmakers Exhibition. So much beautiful work and I have been thoroughly enchanted by Freya Cumming's screenprints

 and Kevin Peden's St Abbs prints. You can see Kevin and St Abbs in this lovely video below!

Kevin Peden - Artist from Samuels-Art on Vimeo.

The Printmakers exhibition is on now and runs until the 26th October 2013.

An Arty Day to Edinburgh. In the Rain.

I finally found somewhere to get my beloved lovely lens fixed up in Edinburgh so we combined a visit to drop the lens off with a bit of gallery prowling.

First up, the skies were immense and the city drenched.

 

We found the camera repair shop (JP Camera Repair Company) and struggled not to gawp at the array of cameras and bits stacked on shelves all around! JP himself put my lens doom fears at ease and declared it fixable; utter relief and very reasonably priced.

After a swift dash through the rain we went to the Man Ray exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. This was my first visit to the gallery and I will certainly be back, there is so much to see. We managed the Man Ray exhibition, which was great, personal favourites being the portraits of Picasso and Lee Miller.

We accidentally glanced the painting that gives Rich the fear, and another which I'm sure must also be by ken Currie seen through a lift shaft on an, as yet, unvisited floor.

 

Lunch, thanks to my Mum and Dad's paper anniversary gift to us, was at the gorgeous Henderson's before heading to the National Gallery.

 

The children's Art competition winners were displayed and we were utterly struck by the talent and imagination in each and every age category. The work is on display until October and I urge you to go see and enjoy. Although I warn you, the monster section will blow your mind, the winner is the one cut off on the top left, you need to see it!

 

 Lastly, The Kiss. Stunning.

I have to pick my lens up in the next week so I may well get to look at another floor at the National Portrait Gallery. Edinburgh is brilliant.

 

Exhibition: A.D. Johnson and Rich Johnson

Re-Dress: Fashion Unpacked

On 5th May, Paxton House launches Re-Dress, an exciting new exhibition of recently conserved 18th Century costume, coupled with stunning contemporary fashion inspired by our collections from students of the School of Textiles & Design at Heriot-Watt University.

There is much excited activity in work around the launch of this new exhibition; it is going to be fantastic!