My Border Landscape

Sir William Gillies

William Gillies enjoyed seven solo exhibitions with The Scottish Gallery during his lifetime, the reputation of artist and Gallery, intimately intertwined. We are delighted to present this exhibition of 15 works focusing on his beloved Borders landscape. William Gillies lived a simple life in his cottage at Temple. Not ascetic nor cut off: visitors were plied with potent home made wines and would take away a pot of jam, and perhaps a watercolour. His studio had a wide picture window which provided the subject for many paintings looking out, particularly in the winter. But it was outside that he was in his element, driving out in his Ford Grenada to revisit a promising spot on the Gala Water or along the escarpment of the Moorfoot Hills, seeing something that others would miss: the straight course of an ancient dyke, a farmhouse half-hidden in a copse of pines, the water of a burn quickening into a ravine. His dark skies and high horizons, subtle washes and perspicacious line make us see the landscape through his eyes and as we pause we can be grateful.

To read more about the life and work of William Gillies please click here.

This is a curated selection – to view more work by William Gillies click here.