Category Archives: Exhibitions

Real Life Shangri-La

A change of scene is good for the soul and for the art practice.
There’s no better souvenir than the refreshed outlook one brings back to the studio after time away.

One of the highlights of our recent vacation was a visit to Shangri La, Doris Duke’s Honolulu home / now museum that is dedicated to her massive collection of Islamic art.

Below are just a few of the many gems that caught my eye.

Diamond Head from the museum’s lawn

A mirrored ceiling within what had once been a dressing room

Heavily carved and intricately painted doors embellished with gold leaf

Outdoor stairs leading to an open-air patio on the roof of one of the galleries. Can you imagine the parties?!

While vividly-colored tilework dominates the collection, this embroidered tapestry stood out for its textural detail and subtle use of teal blue.

The abundance of rich details – paint work, tiles and the perforated lantern – made this little alcove sparkle

The museum’s galleries branch off a central, open-air courtyard. This spectacular tile wall and the metal grillwork above it anchor one side of that space.

Heavenly blue

The elaborate details of a mother of pearl inlaid bureau

This beautiful recreation of a Mughal Garden is inspired by the Shalimar Gardens built in 1637 CE in Lahore, Pakistan, which were constructed during reign of the Mughal Empire.

Who knows how or when all this inspiration may resurface. The main thing is, it’s now in the “vault”.

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A couple of irresistible, sea-related visual treats spotted at other Oahu locations…

Jellyfish

Octopus

And despite the on-again, off-again rain – there was still an opportunity to walk (and sketch) along the beach.

I brought along my new travel palette (5-5/16″ x 3-3/8″ x 1/4″) from Art Toolkit. It was a huge success. I left room for a couple of extra mixing pans on the right, and still was able to fit plenty of paint colors.

I took this shot before we left so I would remember what colors I brought with me. The stainless steel pans are all removable and can be switched around. The variety of available pan sizes gives one a lot of flexibility according to which colors you want to bring, and how much of each. They all rest on a magnet that is built into the palette bottom – so there’s no fear that anything will fall out.

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Now that I’m back I’ve been hard at work, mostly following various ideas to see where they lead. I’m pleased with the direction the stitching is taking on this piece that I showed you last time.

And one final thing to share:
I am really excited to have stumbled upon Northern Kentucky University’s Drawing Database. on YouTube. The bite-size art history videos lured me in, but I will be back for some of the longer sessions. Hope you enjoy it too.

Spring Sampling

Winter is beginning to loosen its grasp so the world feels like it’s opening back up again.
Here is a sampling of the out-and-about arty goodness that’s captured my eye and consumed my interest since my last post.

My life drawing group

Siouxsie ©2026 Elizabeth Fram, Watercolor, 11.75 x 16.5 I am regularly asked about the sketchbook I use during our drawing sessions. It’s the largest one I could find — a Moleskine hardcover with watercolor paper. It only comes with cold press paper, which is a bit of a disappointment as I prefer hot press, but considering this is the second one I’ve bought, I happily recommend it.

Playing in the studio, thinking about pattern

For example, this

became this (in detail). It’s nothing to write home about, but offered lots of micro discoveries along the way.

Working small (this one is 6″ x 5″) allows me to unearth valuable insights and to make mistakes without too much investment. I can then carry what I learn on to the next one.

Jug & Vase ©2026 Elizabeth Fram, Gouache, 7.75″ x 5″ Not addressing stitching yet, but there’s a lot about this that I love: the looseness, the luxuriousness of the paint, the cropped design. That said, it’s just one more step on my road, not a destination. I still don’t know what’s waiting around the corner.

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Leo Twiggs

My friend, photographer & quilt artist Roz Daniels, recommended I look up the artist Leo Twiggs in light of a separate discussion we were having. I found a wonderful documentary called “Arriving: Leo Twiggs and his Art”. In light of my explorations with pattern above, his wisdom is exactly what I need to hear at this particular juncture. Here’s a brief quote:

“Art is a journey and it’s an adventure. And you don’t really know where you’re going. There’s no navigation…you have to find your way…What you do is arrive at places…you can’t go there. You have to arrive there.”

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Lots of new exhibitions have opened and it’s been a treat to see some of them in person. A few highlights from each show:

You’re An Animal
Sculptures by Jennifer McCandless
Soapbox Arts, March 12 – April 25

Modern Romance © Jennifer McCandless, Ceramic, 17.5 x 9.5 x 9.5 photo: from Soapbox Arts website

The Work of Paper: Juried Show 2026
Edgewater Gallery, February 28 – March 28

Leaving Behind, detail, Ania Gilmore

Brimming: Mary Hill and Betsy Chapek
Studio Place Arts, Second floor gallery, March 11 – April 18

Book Lab: Collaborations
Studio Place Arts, Third floor gallery March 11 – April 18

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And lastly

Dense with indispensable information. I am slowly making my way through this library book. It’s so good that I’ll likely add it to my Kindle library.

And now I have to ask – what is Spring bringing to your neck of the woods?

Before I forget, I will be away from my desk for a bit in the coming weeks, so my next post will be April 23rd. Until then.

The Art of Practice

I happened upon an interview on the Learn to Paint podcast recently that offered a real light bulb moment. William A. Schneider is a painter who is also a musician. Having gone to both art and music schools, he realized a major difference between the two. Unlike art school, music school taught Schneider how to practice — knowledge that has ultimately benefitted his painting as well.

Different paints, different grounds, different approaches — over and over and over…

Here’s what I brought away from his discussion:

First, in terms of longterm growth, musicians are taught that practicing for a big chunk of time a couple of times a week doesn’t hold a candle to working for shorter time periods every single day.
Nothing beats daily practice.

This week is the “OneWeek100People2026” challenge. Practice personified!

Secondly, Schneider talked about the importance of isolating skills while learning. Unlike visual artists, who tend to create a complete piece while trying to keep a specific skill that needs attention in mind (guilty!), musicians don’t work to perfect a full piece all at once. They accomplish much more by concentrating on exercises geared specifically toward refining a particular skill found within a piece, repeating the exercise over and over until it becomes second nature.
Work to become proficient in one skill, then move on to the next, and the next, ultimately building toward the whole.

So simple, yet so impactful. I’m headed, literally and figuratively, back to the drawing board.

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MARKED opened yesterday at Studio Place Arts. I have two pieces in the show and, while unfortunately I can’t make the Art Social this Saturday, March 14th due to a previous commitment, I could see when I dropped off my work that it promises to be a beautiful and thought-provoking exhibition. Follow the link above for a preview.
Plus, don’t miss the other shows on the upper floors.
All are view through April 18th.

Out and About

Now that February has arrived, it’s been a lovely change to emerge from January’s hibernation to spend time catching up with friends and getting out and about to see art beyond my studio walls.

Susan, detail ©2026 Elizabeth Fram, Watercolor and Graphite on paper, 16.5″ x 18″ Drawing alongside like-minded souls is such a pleasure. Last week our model brought her fiddle and played while we drew/painted her. It was the essence of community.

Last week, three of us went to AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH where we caught a terrific “two-fer”.
First was Eva Sturm-Gross’s exhibition “Beasts of Eden”.

The Watchers, Eva Sturm-Gross, Carved basswood

Representing a fragmented symbolic world, her sculptural and printed pieces refer to Biblical narratives expressed through the animals that dwell near her childhood home in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Thief, Eva Sturm-Gross, Carved basswood, Relief print, Gold leaf and beeswax on paper

She often merges reality with myth.

Behold, Eva Sturm-Gross, Carved basswood, Relief print and beeswax on paper

According to the gallery notes, animal-headed figures are a common motif in medieval Jewish aesthetic culture. Sturm-Gross uses that device to convey a sense of the sacred found within the local landscape.

What Does the Lover Want From Love, Eva Sturm-Gross, Carved basswood, Relief print and beeswax on paper

This quality in her work speaks directly and convincingly to those of us who also find ourselves living in daily pace with the land and the creatures who surround us.

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Juni Van Dyke, These Beautiful Hands: A Tribute to Our Elders

Next, I felt a huge sense of connection with Juni Van Dyke’s installation “These Beautiful Hands: A Tribute to Our Elders”. Similar to my Full Bloom series of stitched portraits, her pieces directly challenge this country’s sadly all-too common attitude that value and beauty are diminished with age.

Juni Van Dyke, Plaster cast hands and hand-made paper: “Handholding. You do a lot of that when you raise children. When my daughter was eight and in the hospital with appendicitis, she held my hand and begged me not to leave. ‘When are you coming back?’ she pleaded. Now, somedays here (in the nursing home) I sit by my window and I know exactly how she felt.”

This series of cast-plaster hands, in conjunction with brief anecdotes gleaned in conversation during the casting process, represent, in Van Dyke’s words, a soul and a life well-lived.

Juni Van Dyke, Plaster cast hands and hand-made paper: “Heaven and Hell. I don’t care if there is or there isn’t. I’ve been through hell. Heaven is where I am right now. My doctor says ‘Keep doing whatever you’re doing’. I drink vinegar and pickle juice every day. I’m old and I feel great!”

Accompanying her installation of hands and quotes are a series of small oil paintings that Van Dyke created as a gesture of gratitude to the elderly — made for and about people she has known and loved, and for those who participated in her Beautiful Hands project.

Juni Van Dyke, The Gratitude Series, oil on board

Both exhibits are only open through February 14th, so you’d better hurry if you want to go.

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Finally, I have a must-see documentary recommendation.
Porcelain War, which can be streamed on PBS (expiring on March 1), is an incredibly moving portrayal of three artists who have chosen to remain in Ukraine “armed with their art, their cameras, and for the first time in their lives, their guns. A stunning tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, embodying the enduring hope and passion of ordinary people living through extraordinary circumstances.”

Porcelain War Poster

Here’s a link to the trailer.
I can’t use enough superlatives about this stunning piece. It is gorgeously filmed, absolutely heart-rending, yet simultaneously uplifting. Don’t miss it!

Take Advantage of this Resource

If you aren’t already aware of the PBS series Craft in America, check it out. All episodes are free and available to stream.

I am rewatching them one by one while I work out in the morning, grateful not just for the inspiring jumpstart to my day, but for the introduction to artists I was previously unfamiliar with — along with becoming better acquainted with the practices of some I already know. Wisdom, technique, process — it’s all there. Beautifully filmed and layered with contextual information; it’s an amazing resource.

Each episode is centered on a specific concept, delving into the practices of several artists, their ideas and stories. Many segments shine a spotlight on the treasure that is embodied in cultural diversity, knowledge and history, eloquently expressed through the lens of these artists’ work and words while focusing attention on legacies we should – no need – to be mindful of nurturing and protecting — especially considering our current political climate. In the words of master weaver and dyer J. Isaac Vásquez García in the espisode “Borders”, “Art is universal, there are no borders”.

J. Isaac Vásquez García

If I had to single out any specific episode to start you off, should you choose not to go chronologically, I’d say “Visionaries”. It’s a touchstone with the value of the groundbreakers who have paved our paths and will surely inspire you to explore other chapters in the series.

With all this in mind, I’ve seen a number of fascinating exhibitions over the past 3 months by artists whose cultural vantage points, however different from a potential viewer’s, offer the sense of connection we all crave and which art can deliver.

At the Art Institute of Chicago:

Raquib Shaw’s Paradise Lost
This monumental wall installation (more than 100′ wide) is an allegorical and autobiographical telling of Shaw’s journey through life. Dense with supernatural symbolism, it alludes to Milton’s poem of the same name and is a reflection of the many paradises lost across a lifetime. Shaw notes, “This is not just my story. It is the story of each of us, and the story of our times”.

Paradise Lost, Raquib Shaw, 2009-25, as installed in the Art Institute’s galleries. Photo from the website of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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South African artist Jane Alexander’s Infantry with beast
Situated within a dark and cavernous room, adorned only with the red carpet they march upon, an army of life-size fiberglass, lockstep “humanimals” are foreboding and unsettling.

Infantry with beast, Jane Alexander, 2012

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Many of the drawings, prints and sculptures of revolutionary artist Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012), in an eponymously named retrospective at the Art Institute, centered on the lives of black women in the American South. Her powerful work was an ongoing challenge to social injustices.

Tired, Elizabeth Catlett, 1946, terracotta, 13 1/2 x 6 x 7 inches

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And at our local Fleming Museum:

Fuji and Woodland in Fog, Itchiku Kubota

Fuji and Woodland Covered in Fog, Itchiku Kubota, 1994, Tie-dye, ink painting, and embroidery on chirimen, silk crepe with gold wefts

The now-closed exhibition “Kimono” was a grand display of shimmering 20th and 21st century pieces, including a spectacular hand-dyed kimono by the Shibori master Itchiku Kubota. More contemporary works, such as the one below by Na Omi Shintani, were inspired by the form of kimono as well as its historical and cultural significance.

Deconstructed Kimono 7, Na Omi Shintani, 2024, Silk kimono, alter of ceramic vessel and wood, bamboo

Things to Smile About

Cued by the trees, which seem to be changing color by the hour, I’ve been taking time to just soak in and enjoy the sights around me this season. Below are a few of the things that have caught my eye in the past couple of weeks.

Art at the Kent – “Holding”

There are so many wonderful artworks in this show! These shots barely skim the surface of the 22 artists exhibiting, or their work. I will be back again (and again) in an effort to capture more before the exhibit closes on October 12. I hope you can make it at least once.

Usually I am careful to document the labels which fully identify works that I am photographing. I was so excited moving through the exhibit that I forgot myself and, other than the piece above, can only provide the name of each artist for the works below. This show is that good. However, I’ve linked to each artist’s web presence, if available.

Veronica Y Pham

James Patterson

Jon Roberts

Paul Bowen

Kate Gridley

The preserved patina of ancient paint, wallpaper and exposed lath within the Kent Museum building all work in concert with the art on display. Below are a few examples of my pieces in the show. It makes my heart sing to see the thoughtful way they are presented in conversation with their surroundings and others’ work.

Pick Me Up © 2017 Elizabeth Fram, Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk, 12″H x 16″W The curation of “Holding” is exquisite. For instance, consider the exchange between my stitched cup and Stephen Proctor’s clay vessel outside.

Ulysses’ Wave ©2014 Elizabeth Fram, Stitched-resist dye, paint and embroidery on silk, 19″H x 38″W This piece, a visual narrative of the gradual, then sudden changes I saw in my mother as she struggled with the beginnings of dementia, reflects both the exuberance and the memento mori quality of the lush floral arrangement sitting to its right.

Québec City

The following on-the-fly shots in Québec weren’t necessarily inspirational and have no particular redeeming quality other than they made me smile. I think we could all use a bit more levity these days, don’t you?

Trois Garçons

The last in a lineup of cannons that are part of the Fortifications of Québec and which highlight this area’s past military function as a defensive battery, the irony of this vase tipped on its side with hands offering flowers and wheat from its opening is delightful. Zoom in to see that the treads of the tires are leaving tracks of roses. Having neglected to find any info near this sculpture, I searched the internet but came up empty regarding the artist. However, I did discover that In 1617, the first French family to settle in the colony — Louis Hébert, his wife Marie Rollet, and their three children established their farm on this site atop Cap Diamant which is today Montmorency Park. They grew cereal crops, vegetables and different medicinal plants.

Cat weaving

Slatted Window

Exciting Macarons

Creature

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One more thing that’s making me happy: I’m rereading Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Per his suggestion, I edited out any adverbs that had snuck into this post 😊. Ha! I haven’t gotten to the part where he’s horrified by emojis.
Regardless of what your creative practice may be – or if you even have one – you will enjoy this book. Not to worry – it isn’t remotely scary.

Diverse, Thought-provoking & Inspirational

Check out these amazing Vermont artists:

Julia Zanes Cindy Blakeslee Rona Lee Cohen Valerie Hird Susan Jane Walp

The unifying thread between them is that I first encountered their work at the Kent Museum in Calais, VT. Along with apples, glorious foliage and good sleeping temperatures, fall in Vermont means it’s time again for Art at the Kent.

Passages 1 ©2006 Elizabeth Fram, Hand-dyed, hand & machine stitching on silk and cotton, 32″H x 33″W I will have 20 or so pieces in the show this year. In many ways, those selected represent a survey of my work. While they are all connected via the idea of memory, the lure of color and texture manifested through stitched, drawn and painted marks remains constant. The pieces shown here are a teaser. As many of you know, in the early days, art quilts were my main means of expression. It was a medium that allowed for the interruptions and inconsistent work hours that go hand in hand with raising a family.

For me, it’s always been a treat to see the work of friends, as well as artists I have followed from afar, appear on the Kent’s walls and on its surrounding grounds. But just as exciting is knowing that each show will introduce me to artists I was completely unaware of previously. This is the beauty of an exhibit that highlights only Vermont artists and, until this year, has never repeated any of them.

Taking Pause ©2014 Elizabeth Fram, Paint, stitched-resist dye & embroidery on silk, 21″H x 33″W This is one in a series of dog-walk shadow pieces that marked a time of upheaval and transition. Walking the pooch in the early morning hours was one piece of our routine that remained regular during those months.

A quick swing through the exhibit archives is a testament to Vermont’s incredibly rich creative sector. I’ve had to pinch myself over the past months, knowing how privileged I am to soon be among them.

Disparate Pair ©2014 Elizabeth Fram, Verithin pencil on mylar, 10″H x 8″W Also one in a series, these pieces tell a story through the shadows and seemingly distinct personalities of decades-old chairs on a cottage porch.

There will be 22 of us exhibiting this year. I’m intrigued to see how all the work will interact with each other and with the historic building which houses the exhibit. I have every confidence the experience will be as remarkable and unique as it has been every other year, thanks to the vision of curators Allyson Evans, Nel Emlen, and David Schutz.

Letters from Home: Mussel Memory ©2022 Elizabeth Fram, Stitched-resist dye & embroidery on silk, 12″H x 16″W As we were emerging from the pandemic, I wasn’t ready to give up on the house shape after spending months making my 3-D “Covid Houses”. One day I had the epiphany that the shape of an open envelope is the same as that of a house. With that, I began a number of “Letters from Home” pieces, most of them carrying memories of Maine.

In fact, one can’t help but wonder how they manage to pull together a show that hits it out of the park, year after year. As always, this year’s exhibit “Holding – Mementos Kept, Memories Kindled” will most certainly contain viewpoints that are diverse, thought-provoking, inspirational and, not least, a celebration of the act of making itself. What more could one ask?

Fleeting Reflections ©2025 Elizabeth Fram, Watercolor & knotless netting on paper, 6″H x 8″W On the heels of my Full Bloom series, I have become interested in knotless netting, incorporating it within paintings. As you can see from each of the pieces above, as new work develops, one element will invariably carry through from one series to the next – be it shadows, stitching, or portraits.

Have I piqued your interest? I hope so. Please come between September 12 and October 12 to see for yourself. I’ll be at the opening on Saturday; see you then?

Holding Poster

And to further entice you, there are numerous accompanying events scheduled throughout the exhibition month, including:

Words Out Loud

Just Like Us

First, a huge thank you for the kind, supportive comments and emails so many of you sent after my last post. I am so very appreciative.

A tiny portion of Janet Van Fleet’s exhibition “DEI: All Kinds of People”, offset by glorious gladiolas from her garden

One thing I know to be true (or which is at least true for me): art is a through line. Like friends, it is a constant that is steadfastly supportive and often distracting at just the right moment. I have been reminded of this fact often over the past weeks and have been leaning on it accordingly.

Janet Van Fleet; DEI: All Kinds of People

© Janet Van Fleet Be sure to zoom in on all images in this post to see the full character of these wonderful figures

There hasn’t been time for me to make much of my own work lately, other than the brief sketch here and there. But I have made a point of grabbing what moments I can to view the work of others — in books, online and, most importantly, in person. And doing so has been tremendously restorative.

Sunday, I visited Janet Van Fleet’s 2-day exhibit “DEI: All Kinds of People” at Towle Hill Studio in Corinth, VT. Especially at this point in time, it was both an important reminder and, beyond that, a reassurance of our collective connection regardless of our differences.

I am a huge fan of Janet’s work, especially her ability to create a magically inventive world out of what, to the average eye, are throw-away odds and ends. She is a modern day alchemist who, through the mirror of her art, guides us to see the various layers of our humanity without taking ourselves too seriously.

This latest assembly of quirky and fantastical figures spans a spectrum of poignancy, humor, endearment, relatability, enlightenment and depth; these works have a soul. In other words, she has created a gathering that is essentially just like all of us.

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Another fun distraction I recently discovered is The Art Detectives on Amazon Prime. You may be able to stream it, or alternate versions of it, on other platforms. It’s all sorts of nerdy, arty historical goodness. Enjoy!

Icing on the Cake

Let’s get philosophical for a moment.

The Satellite Gallery

If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one near to hear it, does it make a sound?
Or put another way, if the work of an artist never leaves the studio, is it still art?
I would say yes to both but, re: the art, nothing makes it feel more “real” than getting it out in public and, even better, celebrating it with an opening.

Full Bloom, Satellite Gallery

One works hard, mostly in solitude, doing the best one can to crystalize an idea by translating it visually. And while the whole thing may make perfect sense in the moment (and in your own head), it’s actually having the opportunity to see those ideas reflected back through the eyes of others that fully closes the circle.

Full Bloom, Satellite Gallery

The opening for Full Bloom at The Satellite Gallery was such a delight. Seeing the series I’ve been chipping away on for the past 2-1/2 years, framed and then considerately organized in context by a skillful curator, is icing on the cake to the joy of making the work in the first place. Add to that a lively and convivial gathering of thoughtfully engaged viewers and you have the proverbial cherry crowning it all.

Post Roe Suite Full Bloom Satellite Gallery

A huge thank you to the collector of this piece who generously loaned it to the show, allowing all my ladies to be together.

If you’re interested in my frame of reference and the evolution of this series, here are the remarks I gave during the event.

So gratifying to know that The Satellite Gallery is organizing community events around Full Bloom

Full Bloom will be on view through the 4th of July weekend.

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And finally, a few summer reading suggestions.
It’s been a happy coincidence that in the midst of pulling together the loose ends for Full Bloom this spring, several of the books I’ve read also center on strong, resilient women. The protagonists of Elizabeth Strout’s Oh William!, Elizabeth O’Connor’s Whale Fall and Sarah Winman’s Still Life, all immersed in navigating life, persist and, each in her own way, triumph.

Tapestries, Portraits and Gardens – Oh My! (Part 1)

I’m half joking, but Warning! This post is long. Even still, there is so much to cover that I’m going to split it in half and will be back with Part 2 next time. Meanwhile, I’ve tried my best stay heavy on images, light on words. I’ve sprinkled in lots of links so you can explore further.

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My head is spinning on the heels of our recent trip to Scotland – there was inspiration everywhere! So many of my favorite things: textiles, portraits, gardens and more! I always come home from being away feeling like my brain got a good airing out. The best souvenir is plenty of fresh things to think and read about, setting the stage for, if not a reset, at least additional perspectives to bring back to the studio.
Here we go…

Tapestries:
The Great Tapestry of Scotland
Dovecot Studios
The Hunt for the Unicorn at Stirling Castle

The Great Tapestry of Scotland is housed in its own museum, about an hour south of Edinburgh in the Scottish Borders textile town of Galashiels. Created by 1000 stitchers, it’s no exaggeration to say it is a 160-panel masterpiece that covers the broad scope of Scottish history, along with everyday stories of the Scottish people.

We went directly to Galashiels to see the Tapestry after our red-eye landed, albeit a bit bleary-eyed. However, no need for an energy boost once in the presence of all the amazing stitch-work. This is Panel #1.

First impressions: each panel is HUGE (about a meter square), most are brilliantly colorful and all are quite ingenious in their depiction of chosen subject. The panels were designed by Andrew Crummy, but the masterfully stitched intricacy, diversity and expertise are all a credit to the individual stitchers.

This detail of Panel 1 (seen in full above) is a mere taste of what is to follow.

Before we left Vermont, knowing how overwhelming it would be to try to take in such a massive display during one brief visit, I purchased Alistair Moffat’s The Great Tapestry of Scotland book which shows and describes each panel in detail. Pouring over and reading the particulars ahead of time gave me a chance to become better acquainted with the history and meaning behind the panels, including improvisations which were allowed stitchers in order to underline their personal connection with the event portrayed on the panel they stitched.

Panel 126 – “Fair Isle” As a knitter, I loved this panel. Fair Isle is known for a traditional style of knitting made popular when the Prince of Wales, later to reign briefly as Edward VIII, took to wearing Fair Isle knitted sleeveless jumpers to play golf in the early 1920s. Very colorful with finely worked horizontal geometric patterns, these designs were trending then, and still are.

Having a bit of a leg up allowed me to concentrate more fully on the stitchwork; the remarkable way in which various details were depicted was captivating.

Detail of Panel 64 – “The First School for Deaf and Dumb Children” Just look at the way the curls of this teacher’s wig, as well as his shirt sleeves and waistcoat, are realized!

Detail of Panel 74 – “James Hutton’s Theory of the Earth” That hair!

Detail of Panel 87 – “The Growth of Glasgow” So many details in this small section of panel. If you too are curious about the fish with the ring in its mouth, read on.

Beyond the artistry, the finished tapestry is a remarkable community accomplishment that includes the work of 1000 participants from the whole of Scotland. I could have written several posts on the Tapestry alone, but there’s more to see.

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Moving on…

Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh is a working tapestry studio and gallery. When I asked how their weavers were selected, I think the woman thought I was looking for a job. Ha! She told me that it had been 10 years since they last hired someone – only master weavers. The Studios support an apprenticeship program and I believe their weavers tend to come directly from that pool.

Looking down on a tapestry in progress from the viewing balcony, which also doubles as a gallery space. The monumental weavings on the far wall were created by Ptolemy Mann. The studio was silent, the weavers were in their own worlds, with headphones on.

As if seeing the working weavers wasn’t enough, we were also able to take in the current exhibition “The Scottish Colourists: Radical Perspectives” in the Dovecot Studios expansive lower gallery space. If you read Art & Object, perhaps you caught the accompanying review? My education never even touched upon Scottish art history, so this was a treat.

Jessica Dismorr, Landscape with Figures, 1911-12, Oil on Panel. So many wonderful works – this was the one I would have brought home, if allowed.

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The Hunt for the Unicorn is a set of 7 tapestries in the Queen’s Inner Hall of Stirling Castle. They are a recreation and reinterpretation of tapestries that appear in castle inventories from the 16th century. The recreation was a monumental 14-year endeavor which enlisted a team of 18 weavers from across the world.

This photo taken from the web shows the grandeur of the recreated tapestries. The colors and details are spectacular, giving one an idea of how awe-inspiring the originals would have been, especially to 16th century visitors. For more photos, follow this link.

Stirling Castle was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots and, with extensive research, the palace interiors have been recreated as they may have looked in the 1540s during the reign of Mary’s father, James V.

One can visit the on-site tapestry workshop where the modern version of The Hunt for the Unicorn was made. One can read extensive information there about the details of the tapestries’ creation, and see samples that were created in preparation. If you’re interested in going further into the weeds of this extensive project, read this.

And now…
Portraits:
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Stirling Heads at Stirling Castle

I am a huge fan of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, which can be streamed on Amazon. If you’ve watched it, then you will be aware that the grand prize is to paint a portrait of a figure of national importance for one of several UK Portrait Museums. After viewing it on the show, I was dying to see the Scottish National Portrait Gallery’s Great Hall. It is even more breath-taking in the flesh.

The Great Hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh

Even the ceiling is magnificent!

Currently on view within the Gallery is “The Modern Portrait”. Considering the development of portraiture since the early 20th century, this exhibit shows evolving portraiture styles over the past 125 years. It was also a fascinating opportunity to learn about the paintings’ subjects – figures who have contributed significantly to Scottish life in numerous spheres.

The Unknown Man, detail, 2019, Ken Currie, 6.5’x9 feet, Oil on Canvas. This powerful and massive portrait (hence the detail) is of Dame Sue Black, forensic anthropologist.

Alexander Douglas-Home by Avigdor Arikha

Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, 1988, Avigdor Arikha, Oil on canvas. What drew me to this one was the composition. As I’ve noted before, I am a fan images that hug the edge.

Tom Leonard, About 2004, Alex Main, Bronze I took this photo so I could paint it in my sketchbook later – I find the sense of form quite moving and a great opportunity for practice.

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The Stirling Heads, made of Polish oak, were a ceiling adornment in James V’s Inner Hall meant to display his status as monarch through reference to his royal bloodline, powerful connections and fashionable court. After having been dispersed in the late 18th century, some of the originals are reunited in a darkened gallery in the castle, while modern reproductions recreate their splendor, once again decorating the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall.

The workmanship of the originals is spectacular.

Painted reproductions as they would have appeared originally are also a testament to the skills of modern artisans..

OK, time to stretch your legs – that is more than enough for now! Perhaps (I hope) you’ll have seen something that will send you down your own rabbit hole of discovery. I know there is a lot of reading I’m looking forward to.

Next time, Gardens and a touch of “oh my!” Till then.