Art in and around Kemnay

ART IN AND AROUND KEMNAY

Kemnay will be a hive of artistic activity in September during the third North East Open Studios (NEOS) event. NEOS is a collective of artists and makers and this year member's studios, galleries and workshops will again be open to the public.

The third North East Open Studios (NEOS) art trail will run from Saturday the 16^th of September until Monday the 25^th of September. Readers of the Kemnay Newsletter will know of the great success of last year's event with artists in Kemnay making major contributions to NEOS'05. This year some 141 shows will be on display at locations across the north east, between St Cyrus in the south, Fraserburgh in the north and Forres in the west. The works on display show the diverse skills in the area and will include, leather work, ceramics, woodturning, furniture making, glasswork, painting, photography, jewellery, printmaking, sculpture, straw work, spinning and weaving. To whet your appetites, within a two mile radius of Kemnay High Street the following shows can be viewed during the festival.

16/17/20/23/24/25 Sept Kemnay House, Kemnay

• Susan Burnett (Painter)
• Letitia Smith-Burnett (Painter)
• Alex Burnett (Painter/Illustrator)
• Alice S Harman (Botanical artist)
• Min Fletcher-Jones (Jeweller)

16/17/23/24 Sept. Gowanbank Studio, 7, Victoria Terrace, Kemnay

• Roderick Scott (Painter)

16-25 Sept The Studio, Mill Farm, Aquhythie, by Kemnay

• Susie Hunt (Painter)
• Alan Florence (Painter)
• Jen Beattie (Painter)
• Gabrielle Reith (Painter)
• Ruth Simpson (Textile artist)
• Philip Thomson (Multimedia artist)
• Lindsay Stewart (Painter)

Slightly further afield in Monymusk, Ordhead, Chapel of Garioch, Inverurie and Oyne, other interesting shows are on offer, including David Hawson at Paradise Cottage, Monymusk and Julia Metcalf and Jill Betts at Under Tullos (Between Bernhervie and Chapel of Garioch). Also check out paintings and jewellery in the Donview studio and Loovre gallery (Donview, Lord's Throat) and Wyness Hall, Jackson Street, Inverurie. and glass, painting and sculpture at Archaeolink. Full details (opening times and directions) of NEOS'06 and examples of artist's work can be seen at the easy-to-use website: http://www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk or you can contact Sally Thomson, Arts Development Officer, Aberdeenshire Council, Gordon House, Blackhall House, Inverurie, AB51 3WA ( Sally.Thomson AT aberdeenshire DOT gov DOTuk) for a colour catalogue. Additionally, free catalogues are also available at Touched By Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council Offices. There will also be a raffle of two paintings by Jimmy Middleton and Rod Scott at the Gownbank studio with all the money going to the Kemnay Water Aid project, last year generous participants raised £121. Visiting the shows is free and you will see many unique pieces of art but bring your chequebooks in case you see something irresistible..

Susie, Letitia and Rod.

-- as reported in the Kemnay Newslettter (316) September 2006