Philip Raskin - New Work

It is always lovely to see our artists when they come to deliver new work. Equally as nice, is getting to see what delights they bring us. With Philip Raskin, you can pretty much predict what you are going to get…… choppy waves in the sea of the foreground, some soft and misty hills in the background and a turbulent, stormy, yet colouful big sky. I know the formula well. And yet, every time Philip brings his work I am amazed at how different each painting is – each with it’s own character and effect.

And every single one of them beautiful.

Philip Raskin has a singular and distinctive style in which he exploits acrylic’s most robust impasto qualities along with its most sensitive and delicate.

” I tend to paint very private places for the viewer to own and enjoy: no houses, no telegraph poles – no signs of man’s imposition on the landscape, just the driftwood of an ebb tide and silence – broken only by the lapping of water and gulls ascending”

Philip Raskin

Pittenweem Arts Festival - Galleria Luti

Sandie and Peter headed over to the highly popular Pittenweem Arts Festival on Tuesday for a couple of days of arts emersion. If you haven't been lucky enough to experience this delightfully unique festival, then I emplore you to make an effort next year to go and visit - I promise you will not be disappointed. Not only is Pittenween one of the loveliest little fishing villages of the East Coast, but for the duration of the Arts Festival, it is home to no less than 80-90 or so venues crammed full of artistic creations.

Many of the artists are there in person, hosting their own gallery space. Along with the year round galleries that reside in Pittenweem, it is not uncommon for galleries to be pitched up in studios, garages, cafes, public spaces, and even people's front rooms! I was just chatting to a couple who went this year and saw someone wander into a house, which unfortunately for them, was not one of the designated venues, but simply a poor Pittenweemer's home. I am pretty sure it wouldn't have been an isolated incident either, but equally as confident that the locals expertly deal with it in the best possible manner.

Several of our artists show annually and there is never a shortage of arty people to chat with. Anyone wanting an art fix in August could do no better than heading over to the east coast during the festival. I hear that there are even some pretty amazing fish'n'chips in that neck of the woods aswell.

David Brown Mirrors: The passing of a lovely artist

It is sad news in the gallery today. I have just learned that one of our artists has passed away. I am always affected by this kind of new, as I'm sure most people are. I always think of our artists very fondly as a family, and so it is with a heavy heart that I learned of David Brown's death.

David Brown Mirrors

David Brown (not to be confused with the similarly named, Davy Brown - painter, also one of our artists and still very much alive) has exhibited his lovely little mirrors with us here at Galleria Luti for years now. There has rarely been a time when there hasn't been a copper or pewter mirror adorning our walls. They have been ever popular as gifts.... I myself have given many friends David Brown birthday presents. I also know some customers who have several pieces made in the Otago Studio where David worked alongside his son Michael for many years. Nouveau design was often incorporated into the mirror finish as were gemstones and the occassional more exotic embellishment.
I spoke to Michael today, and I am comforted that David's legacy will live on through him.... and hopefully in the near future we will have some Michael Brown mirrors here in exhibition. On one of David's last visits to see me at the gallery, he brough some of Michael's work and I was pleased to see the high standard and design flare of David's influence shining in Michael's work. He was taught very well indeed.
Read more about David on his page here.

Art appreciation and easter eggs

Free eggs (while they last!)

It has been an absolutely glorious easter weekend and the sun has made it's first real impact of the year, by shining brightly and warming up not only Callander but everyone's spirits with it.

I had slightly over estimated how many chocolate eggs we would need for an egg hunt for my 3 and 1 year olds, so have manys a surplus of easter treats which I will be giving to art lovers in the gallery today for one day only, while stocks last. I can imagine there could be nothing better than munching on chocolate and looking at lovely art at the same time. And to cap it all off, the sun is beautiful again today. Just bliss!

Taking photos of paintings - my constant battle

The importance of a good photo can not be undersitmated.

Before varnishing

They say that a picture tells a thousand words, and never a truer word has been said than when considering paintings.

After varnishing and framing

When artwork is your picture subject, however, getting a good photo of the painting can be the difference between allowing the observer to be transported into the artists’ world, and a disappointing photo of amature-ish art. My main struggle is photogaphing paintings which have already been varnished and framed, particularly when behind glass. Not only do I then have to battle with my own reflection, but also with the many windows and lights it takes to properly light the painting, but also the added glare and shine from carnish makes a true representation nigh impossible. Of course, I do my best, but indeed the best intentions often result in sub-standard photography, and more often than not, does not do the artists’ work justice.
The solution is simple. Photograph work in good light in the studio, pre-varnishing and before framing. Easy peasy.