Exhibition season kicks off across the Scottish Borders
Monday, April 7 2008
Scottish Borders Council’s museums and galleries have opened their doors to unveil a wide variety of exhibitions to get the 2008 season off to a flying start.
Drumlanrig’s Tower, Hawick
‘Textile Futures’
The final stage of the Heart of Hawick Project involves the refurbishment of Drumlanrig’s Tower as a centre celebrating the heritage of the Borders textile industry and promoting its creative future.
To illustrate the plans, ‘Textile Futures’ exhibition is now on display showing the range of ideas that the refurbishment will eventually display.
To support this development, Scottish Borders Council is keen to hear from people who have worked in the textile industry and who have stories to share or objects and photographs to lend or donate. If this is you please contact Rachel Hunter 01721 729491.
The exhibition continues until September 2008 and the refurbished museum will open in Easter 2009.
Open Monday–Friday, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1pm–4pm; Saturday, 10am–1pm & 2pm–4pm.
Tweeddale Museum, Graham Institute, Peebles
‘Colour, Movement & Light’
Currently on display in ‘The Gallery’ at the Tweeddale Museum in Peebles is a visually stunning display of work by three artists from the same talented family who base themselves in the Yarrow Valley, near Selkirk.
- Vivien Alexander’s paintings of flowers, birds and plants are a feast for the eyes with her highly skilled use of vibrant colours and heavily textured surfaces which bring the Borders landscape to life.
- Sam Wade’s kinetic metal sculptures are fascinating. His sculptures range from giant-sized constructions destined for an outdoor settings to smaller indoor works. Of particular interest are a sequence of wall clocks which are kinetics literally playing with time.
- Phoebe Dingwall, who lives and works in France, takes yet another approach to her work which is boldly executed abstract art on large canvases in an array of bright colours and inspired by architecture juxtaposed with nature. Her small paintings in the Amsterdam series are particularly appealing with a strong design element coupled with jewel-like colours from her extensive colour palette.
The exhibition runs until 10th May 2008.
Open Monday – Friday 10.30am–12.30pm & 1pm–4pm; Saturday 10am–1pm & 2pm– 4pm. No wheelchair access.
JedburghCastleJail & Museum, Castlegate, Jedburgh
‘Up the Street, Doun the Street’
Come and enjoy a nostalgic reminder of how Border High Streets used to look!
Currently on display in the Bob Mason room at Jedburgh Castle Jail & Museum is an exhibition which looks at the history of shops and shopping in the Borders, focusing on Jedburgh.
Old photographs and advertisements will bring back memories of Jedburgh’s shops from the past. During a time when Saturdays were the days for dressing up to go shopping, to a café or the cinema, the exhibition displays examples of the outfits from the 1960s as well as goods from a variety of shops, grocers, chemists, ironmongers and outfitters.
Open, Monday-Saturday 10am–4.30pm, Sunday 1-4 pm. No wheelchair access to exhibition.
HawickMuseum, Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick
‘St Cuthbert’s Way - A Photographic Journey’
Award-winning Northumberland photographer David Taylor recently launched his new touring exhibition of his work in the Waterfall Gallery in the Hawick Museum.
The exhibition explores the variety of landscapes to be found along the route of the cross-border long-distance walking trail. The images showcase David’s characteristic use of colour and light, and his ability to capture the atmosphere in the landscape - skills which are fast bringing him recognition amongst his peers as one of the most promising emerging talents in his field.
The above exhibition is being combined with two other new shows at Hawick Museum - popular Border artist Sandy Milligan will show a selection of his recent work in pastel; and in the Scott Gallery, ‘Land Escapes’ by Ancrum-based Siobhan O’Hehir.
St Cuthbert’s Way: A Photographic Journey will run until 18th May 2008; Sandy Milligan until 8th June and Siobhan O’Hehir to 25th May 2008.
Open Monday-Friday, 10am–12noon & 1pm–5pm; Saturday & Sunday: 2pm–5pm. Wheelchair access to Ground Floor and Scott Gallery.
Harestanes Visitor Centre, Ancrum, Jedburgh
‘Landscape & History’
Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre opened its doors for a new season with a stunning photographic exhibition capturing the wild essence of the Borders
Kelso-based photographer and well-known ranger naturalist Keith Robeson revels in the region’s rich landscapes and ancient buildings. In this, his first exhibition, he portrays the natural heritage of the Borders through the seasons:
Open daily 10am-5pm. For more information visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/harestanes to download the 2008 events programme.
ColdstreamMuseum
‘Ecce Romani – Romans in the Borders’
Imagine being a Roman soldier sent to a far-flung outpost of the empire, or one of the ‘Caledonian’ tribes-people of the Scottish lowlands under military occupation. Using Roman artefacts, aerial photography, loan collections (including items from the National Museum of Scotland), replicas and set reconstructions, this striking and colourful exhibition explores military and civilian life in the Borders, between the landmarks of Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall.
Open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 to 16:00; Sunday 14:00 to 16:00.
Halliwell’s House Museum, Selkirk – The Robson Gallery
Alan Richmond – ‘Personal Perspectives’
An art show by a Hawick-based artist whose work is becoming increasingly collectible by local art lovers and visitors to the area. His mainly monochrome watercolour landscapes of the Borders and wild and remote areas of the Highlands and islands are a pleasure to view.
Open Monday – Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00; Sunday 11:00 – 15:00
More information and photographs
A copy of the new museums and Galleries programme for 2008 can be found at www.scotborders.gov.uk/museums.
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