The Whitehouse Gallery in Kirkcudbright is preparing for its nineteenth annual summer exhibition on Saturday 1 July. This is always the biggest event of the year for the gallery, when the artist town is at its busiest and most vibrant, brimming with a wonderful variety of works from an array of Fine Artists and Makers.

For those who haven’t visited Kirkcudbright before, it’s a little gem of a town nestled right down on the South West Coast of Scotland, surrounded by breathtaking countryside and coastline. With a working harbour and marina, its rows of pastel coloured houses and independent shops, cafes and galleries to explore, Kirkcudbright is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination.

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Kirkcudbright is also known as the ‘Artist Town’, largely due to a rich history as an established artist colony (between around 1850 and 1950), which has inspired a whole new generation of artists and makers who live and work in the town, drawn here by the famous light. Art lovers can pick up an Art Map and stroll around all of the various studios and galleries, and in some cases can see artists at work if they are lucky enough to time it well. During the summer there are always various events taking place too.

The Whitehouse Gallery is a well-established gallery space which first opened its doors in 2004, and which now covers two spacious floors, hosting six changing exhibitions each year. The gallery represents a rich and varied selection of artists and makers, including established names alongside up and coming talents.  Besides a love for paintings, there is a real passion for celebrating the beauty and quality of well-crafted pieces of furniture, ceramics, glass, sculpture, textiles, jewellery and much more.

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The Summer Exhibition preview opening is on Saturday 1 July, from 11am – 5pm.  Everyone is very welcome to attend this event, and enjoy a glass of fizz whilst being amongst the first to view the new collections, from the following artists and makers.

Gordon Wilson is one of Scotland’s most sought after contemporary painters. His subject matter ranges from quirky portraiture to emotive land and seascapes, with a deep love of the West Coast of Scotland (and the beloved Belted Galloway). Gordon will be joined by Rosanne Barr, another celebrated and collectable contemporary Scottish artist who with a reputation for capturing the mood, emotion and colours of a place in her Scottish landscapes.  Scottish landscapes will also be on show by regular exhibitors Margaret Evans and Morag Lloyds, alongside more abstract landscapes from returning artist Louise Body.

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Helen Tabor is another returning and much-loved artist of the gallery. With a love of landscape, seascape, still life or figurative, her focus is on creating a mood in her paintings, usually through her application of colour and brushstrokes. 

A love of the figure is shared by new artist to the gallery Gill Walton SSA, and returning artists Jackie Henderson and Garry Harper. Each artist has carved out their own very distinctive style and have built up a very strong following for their work.

Summer will be celebrated in this exhibition with seascapes, swimmers and figures on the beach by Anne Skinner, Lynn Howarth and new artist to the gallery, Nicola Wakeling. Nicola is a very established fine art landscape painter, with a deep connection to the outer Hebrides. Her luminous oil paintings capture light and shade beautifully and we are delighted to have some in this exhibition.

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Having recently been awarded membership of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, Kate Bentley RI will be delivering a collection of her paintings, with a more nautical theme.

Finally, linocuts will be on offer from Babs Pease and Deb Wing. Babs is new to the gallery, and finds much of her inspiration in the beautiful landscape of the Ochils, and the rich variety of flora and fauna within it. Deb Wing finds her inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of Argyll and the West of Scotland.

Alongside paintings and prints, we have new collections of wonderful Mosaic wall art by Amanda Anderson and Morag Archer;  Ceramics by Carolyn Tripp, Liz Stott, Sandie Cosens, Sarah Lawson and Steve Smith; Glass by Elizabeth Welch and Steve Robinson; Jewellery by Hannah Duncan; Furniture by Stephen Finch; Driftwood figures by Lynn Muir and much more.

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For those who can’t make it to the gallery, most of the work is online, and the gallery post out all across the UK, and internationally too. The summer exhibition will go online from Thursday 29 June, but there is always an ongoing collection of work which can be viewed online at any time.

If you can, put a visit to Kirkcudbright and The Whitehouse Gallery on your to-do list this summer. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

Normal Opening Times: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm

The Whitehouse Gallery, 47 St Mary Street, Kirkcudbright DG6 4DU

Tel: 01557 330223   Email: info@whitehousegallery.co.uk,

www.whitehousegallery.co.uk