So what do we think of this then? Methil-born David Mach’s long awaited driftwood-and-tacks sculpture Phantom has been lowered into place in Kirkcaldy at a cost of £35k. The artist, who was commissioned by supermarket Morrisons, said in an interview with The Courier last week that the sculpture was an ‘ugly hard ass brute’, ‘direct in the same way Fifers are’. He also said ‘it is what it is – it’s
Thankfully this has nothing to do with red rooms. This clever idea is from Scottish illustrator, Emily MacKenzie. There are two prints that you can buy from her Etsy shop; 50 Shades of Scotland and, in the best non-partisan spirit, 50 Shades of England. Interesting to speculate what colours represent a nation; perhaps you’d expect Scotland to be the colours of hills, heather and thistles. Her other illustrations are cute
Instead of leaving paintbrushes sitting in jars of white spirit for weeks only to end up chucking them in the bin, San Francisco-based artist, Rebecca Szeto has transformed paintbrushes into beautiful renaissance ladies. Dried up paint brushes never looked so good.
Very taken with this perky self portrait by Eleanor Allen Moore one of Scotland’s many overlooked woman artists of the early 20th century. Eleanor Allen Moore was originally born in County Antrim. A minister’s daughter, she attended Kilmarnock Academy in 1902 and later went to the Glasgow School of Art. After graduating she couldn’t afford a model so posed for herself in her early paintings. For the oil painting above,
While the world is renouncing alcohol today spare a thought for this little penguin whose best friend is a bottle of red wine. Artist Oleg Borodin initially created the penguin as an idea for a children’s book but realised the penguin looked a bit sad and lonely. He decided to give the character a best friend and the illustrator happened to like red wine.
These beautiful illustrations were painted between 1959 and 1970 by painter and illustrator Michael Johnson. Born in Thirsk, North Yorkshire Michael completed a three year scholarship in art and design before joining a design company in Leeds. Later he moved to London and worked for Carlton Artists which, at the time, had the biggest studio in Europe. In the late 60s he moved to America, where he worked publications such
One of the finest artists ever to come out of Dunfermline, renowned illustrator Jonny Hannah has an impressive new book out. Greetings from Darktown tells of a mysterious coastal town, not found on any map, peopled by pin-up girls, jazz artists and tattooed sailors. Darktown is home to the Unquiet Grave junk emporium; the Mermaid Café where Woody Guthrie still plays each week; McVouty’s vintage clothes shop and a pier
Doors will open on the Round The Horn Advent Calendar Trail in Kinghorn at 10am on Saturday the 22nd November. There are 10 venues to visit with 20 artists, designers and makers exhibiting their work, some for the first time. Painting, sculpture, glass, jewellery, ceramics, prints, textiles, homewares, papercrafts and more will be available to view, sample, buy and commission. The organisers aim to forge a lasting relationship between local people and
Earlier this year Dunfermline artist Alan Grieve was commissioned by the Fife Cultural Trust to create work inspired by the Kingdom the Danced. The project was aimed at people over 60 encouraging them to take part in a contemporary art event. Grieve collected over 100 stories of social dancing in Fife along with fascinating photographs and newspaper clippings. He then collaborated with Glasgow based animator Jim Stirk to create these
Catch an exhibition of contemporary prints at The Kinburn Gallery, St Andrews. Opening times are 10.30am to 4pm daily until 23 November. The exhibition is a collection of original and limited edition screenprints, woodcuts, collographs and etchings produced in the studios of Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop. Featured artists include: Babs Pease, Catherine King, Mandy Tait, Stephen Ratomski, Peter Kirley, Gordon Slater, Kate Hunter, Sheila Carnduff, Aine Scannell, Claire Yarrington, John