Changing Seasons to raise awareness

Jun 13 2008 by Alison Anderson

ENVIRONMENTAL awareness through art is the theme of a new exhibition at the Ruthven Gallery in Auchterarder.

Exploring the destruction that is caused by climate change, Changing Seasons centres on the work of three Perthshire-based artists, Rosemary Bassett, Fanny Lam Christie and Yvonne MacDougall.

Rosemary, who is an elected member of Visual Arts Scotland said: “In our own small ways, it is possible for us to work for change in our environment.

“Artists by their work can change minds as art parallels life.”

The damaging effects of severe storms are captured in the work of Fanny Lam Christie, a graduate in sculpture from Edinburgh College of Art.

Meanwhile, Yvonne MacDougall’s large-scale mixed media paintings show how nature and regeneration in the changing seasons are important in the urban environment surrounding her Perth home.

Mike Robinson, chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, explained why he believes the exhibition is so important.

“Scientists have tried to communicate about this issue for 40 years, but they have failed to capture the imagination and commitment of the wider public,” he said.

“We need artists to come to the fore, to help demystify our futures, to explain it and connect with people’s lives.

“I believe that the Changing Seasons exhibition is a wonderful example of how to utilise the power of art and artists to communicate vitally important messages about the future of our planet.”

The exhibition runs until July 16 and also features work by Louise Balaam and Andy McIntosh.

THE Watermill Gallery in Aberfeldy is proud to present a solo exhibition, The Sea Room, by Kate Downie, an eminent Scottish artist, past president of the Society of Scottish Artists and recently elected member of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Kate will be giving a talk and guided tour of her work tomorrow – tickets are £5, available from The Watermill.

The work in this exhibition is based on a seven-week residency on the Norwegian island of Karmøy last autumn 2007 as part of a programme of artists’ exchanges in conjunction with Stavanger 2008 European City of Culture.

In ‘The Sea Room’ Kate strips her work and the approaches which underlie it back to the essentials of an artist exploring how to use their mark-making, be it paint, ink, pencil or another medium, to get across the essence of what confronts their senses.

A selection of works from Sea Room are available to view by logging on the site: www.aberfeldywatermill.com