Exhibitions

The sea has captivated artists since time immemorial. For David Cass, born in Edinburgh and raised in the Scottish Borders, an interest in the natural rhythm of the local landscape led him to the sea as an early source of inspiration. He paints the sea in all its moods, creating images that combine direct observation with a poetic sensibility. In his latest exhibition, which marks Cass’s tenth major solo presentation of his career, the artist celebrates the power and majesty of the oceans, and continues to use his art to campaign for climate awareness.

I present several different areas that interest me in Pearls before Finches: art history, portraiture, natural history, botanical painting and jewellery. Fragmentation and recontextualisation of historic artworks are central to my ideas of connecting past, present and future. The main formal links in the show are the small spots of light that you find in the highlights on pearls, in dewdrops, in the eyes and lips within portraits, on a young bull’s muzzle, the glitter of gold plate chain or the sparkle within diamonds. Derrick Guild

The ubiquity of rock that forms our planet earth and its essential place in relation to our existence is now my stimulus for choosing to make sculpture by carving stone. Stone’s broad range of colour, shape, and mineral composition intrigues me. In each stone there exists an almost unfathomable sense of deep time.

In Lines in Time, I’ve chosen to work with gathered stones from a variety of locations in Scotland predominantly guided by the travels and visionary work undertaken by James Hutton (1726-97). Hutton’s encounters in the field studying rock samples and outcrops led him to develop his ground-breaking thesis Theory of the Earth, gaining him world-wide recognition, and the accolade of Father of Modern Geology. Jake Harvey

Adam Bruce Thomson was a painter of great integrity whose life mirrored the evolution of Scottish painting in the first three-quarters of the twentieth century. Born in 1885, he attended the newly established Edinburgh College of Art and later served in the Great War. Afterward, he returned to the college to teach for 40 years, nurturing generations of young artists. Although Thomson worked in various media, including printmaking and pastel, he is best known for his oil and watercolour paintings. This focused exhibition, featuring many previously unseen works from his studio, showcases Thomson’s enduring fascination with the Scottish landscape over 50 years.

The Scottish Gallery is delighted to present a solo exhibition from jeweller Paul Preston. The Impartial Observer features both new work and archive pieces from his collection. A large proportion of Paul’s work is based on themes from nature, especially birds and fish. This natural world in metal often has a strong element of fantasy influenced by cartoons and story books, as well as a whimsical, poetic quality.