Original Art for the Workplace

Well-chosen, good quality original art displayed in the workplace should be considered as being part of the welcome package of any company. It can provide a subtler and more innovative way of sending messages about the organisation, the approach and their people, and goes beyond the recognised company logo and corporate image identity.

In the increasingly competitive business environment, quality art is playing a key role in strengthening and communicating the image, ethos and values of a growing number of restaurants, hotel chains, companies and organisations. There are also other real benefits. Art has been shown to improve the staff environment and research has revealed that employees find art in the workplace extremely motivating. It makes people feel that their workplace is a creative and stimulating one. Staff often mention that they feel more inspired and motivated, when their stark and anonymous corporate walls are hung with uplifting art. As well as energising the working environment, artwork in the office has also been proven to have a subliminal effect in helping reduce stress among employees! What a great return from simply hanging a few well-chosen paintings!

Investing in original art can also show the companies involvement in supporting the arts community, whether local or national. Purchasing art can also be considered an investment for the business. Many world class businesses already buy original works year after year for this purpose and claiming them as investments and assets. Another plus is that the purchase of original artworks is treated similarly to that of office furnishings and is usually allowable against tax!

Visit the Artery Gallery website, pop into the galleries or call on St Andrews 01334 478221 or Crieff 01764 655722 to recieve any assistance you may need in purchasing the right artwork for your workplace.

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Perthshire Open Studios - 27th Sept to 5th Oct

Artery Gallery in King Street, Crieff will be taking part in the first Perthshire Open Studios between September 27th and October 5th. During the Open Studios week, there will be three of Artery Gallery’s exhibiting artist performing demonstrations and talking about their ideas and inspirations behind their work.

On the opening day of Saturday 27th September, renowned Scottish artist Derek Collins will be giving a fascinating insight into his unique style of ‘Flaming Art’ paintings. Using various mediums and materials in his paintings, Derek creates wonderful impact paintings full of colour and texture. What really brings his paintings to life though is when he sets them on fire! That will definitely be something worth seeing!

Comrie based artist Peter Davenport will be giving talks and demonstrations on his abstract landscape oil paintings on Tuesday 30 September from 12pm.

And on Saturday 4th October, Christine Forsyth will be demonstrating her techniques in creating beautiful contemporary silver jewellery. She will also be giving talks on her ideas and designs as well as hints and tips on how to look after your silver jewellery. There will also be 5% off all Christine Forsyth jewellery all day.

The Perthshire Open Studios is a great way to see local artists showing their skills first hand and Artery Gallery is proud to be playing a part in promoting artists in Perthshire.

For further information on the demonstrations taking place at Artery Gallery, call 01764 655722.

Gallery opening hours during the event will be;

Saturday 27th Sept 10am - 5pm

Tuesday 30th Sept - Saturday 4th Oct 10 am - 5pm

Andrew Baines - 'Surreal Human Sculpture'

This short clip gives a brief insight into the 'Surreal Human Sculptures' by Australian contemporary artist Andrew Baines. This particular shoot was done at St Kilda beach in Melbourne, Australia.

Andrew has been creating these Human Sculptures for the last couple of years and uses them for his Surreal paintings for which he has become renowned for across Australia as well as here at Artery Gallery in Scotland.

In 2009, Andrew Baines is planning to create one of his Surreal Human Sculptures right here in St Andrews in conjunction with Artery Gallery.

We will post more information here in due course, so stay tuned and informed with the Artery Gallery News Blog!


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Bridal Jewellery at Artery Gallery

Artery Gallery has expanded its handmade jewellery collection to include a range of high quality, unique bridal accessories.

Scottish Jeweller Angel Neal specialises in Bridal jewellery, designing and making everything from necklaces and earrings, to tiaras and hair fascinators. Her bridal jewellery designs come in silver, gold, pearl and crystal styles. Her extensive range means there is something to suit every bride, and to match every wedding dress!

Angel started making jewellery at the age of fourteen, following that with her first business creating luxury bridal jewellery, eventually leading her to the position of finalist in the 2007-2008 FMG International jewellery Design Competition in the category of natural pearls. Artery Gallery now stocks a vast range of Angel’s pearl and bridal jewellery, with different designs of tiaras, necklaces, bracelets earrings and hair adornments all available to try on in the gallery. Angel also undertakes bridal consultations and individual commissions.

Lara Baxter specialises in bespoke 18 carat gold and silver wedding jewellery. Her range of designs includes made-to-order kilt pins, necklaces, tiaras and rings. In fact, she designed and made the jewellery for her own wedding in 2007, making her own solid gold and silver tiara, her new husband’s kilt pin, and her bridesmaids jewellery. The simple, organic designs of her pieces are influenced by her surroundings on the west coast of Scotland where she grew up. Lara learned her trade from her mother, a successful jeweller herself, before setting up her own workshop. Lara can undertake commissions to co-ordinate your whole bridal party.

Matching your jewellery to your bridal gown can be difficult, but jeweller Angela Learoyd designs pearl jewellery in rainbow colours to suit all shades of dresses and skin-tones. With beautiful natural pale pinks to baby blues, and gold colours, Angela’s pearls can be used for traditional brides, bridesmaids, or more unusually coloured bridal dresses. Angela is a member of the British Jewellers Association, The Association of Contemporary Jewellers and Visual Arts Scotland.

Check online at Artery Gallery to view the different styles and ranges from our exhibiting jewellers.

Still Life Oil Paintings by Bing Wang - A Contemporary 'Old Master'

("Strawberry on a White Torrent" by Bing Wang)

We have just taken in 10 brand new outstanding Still Life oil paintings from Artery Gallery regular Bing Wang.

Bing Wang explains his works:

"Recently, I have used the Still Life format as a foil for my ideas. The painting is becoming a vehicle to express a state of mood through the fusion of Minimalism and Realism. Both the process of making and the result suggested an escape from the real and sophisticated daily life.

By depicting the simplest object within the simplest composition but executed in a masterful and astonishing realistic manner, I am trying to engage the viewers into a translucent and peaceful pictorial space.

It is not easy any more to be able to be ‘traditional’ in the contemporary context. But I am still conscious of the meaning of painting tradition and its needfulness in the present to engender resistance to the libidinous flex of media images.

My researches into techniques, media and pigment of the Old Masters and the painstaking working procedure have led my works to a highly finished surface and a sense of timelessness."

With prices for Bing's original oil paintings ranging from £595 to £895, you can have a modern day masterpiece without the price tag of an old one!

Visit our website to view the new Still Life oil paintings by Bing Wang now exhibiting at Artery Gallery in St Andrews and Crieff.

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Caroline Slane - Irish Landscape Paintings

("Walking Home" by Caroline Slane)

Often known as Cal, Caroline Slane works out of her studio in Holywood, County Down. She has enjoyed much success in the Irish art community that has now extended to Scotland following a number of successful exhibitions in recent years with Artery Gallery, based in both St Andrews, Fife and Crieff, Perthshire. Her paintings, using the rarely used medium of Gouache, famously depict the small harbours and coastal cottages of Northern Ireland. She has found these landscapes of Ireland and the Western Isles a continuous source of inspiration, which is reflected in her vibrant and contemporary work.

Caroline is a relative of the late Marky Robinson who enjoyed worldwide success and acclaim, and it is to him that she attributes her artistic freedom clearly displayed in her work. He was a self-taught artist, whose artistic career spanned sixty years, although his working life led him from a merchant ship, to welding, even to boxing!

Marky acquainted himself first hand with ‘The School of Paris’, and European modernism - in particular, expressionism and cubism, which influenced his style and take on still life and landscapes. Often his work was met with critical indifference or distaste. In 1942, Marky sold a painting to Ulster Academy of arts for five pounds sterling, and he grew to be one of Ireland’s most popular artists, with his work selling at a value of up to £22,000 at auction today.

Markys influence can be clearly seen in Caroline’s work, as he was her first experience with art. It seems he not only taught her his methods of composition and style, but passed on an inherent talent and artistic ability.

Her original paintings can be found in collections not only throughout Ireland but also in Europe and the USA, and her new exhibiting works at Artery Gallery in Scotland have already gained huge popularity once again.

Log on to the Artery Gallery website at www.arteryuk.com to view more works by Caroline Slane.

Scottish Landscape Paintings

("Northern Skies" by Martin Devine)

Scottish artist Martin Devine has launched his latest exhibition of work at Artery Gallery in both St Andrews and Crieff.

Martin, original from Edinburgh and now based in nearby Linlithgow, employs colour theory, varying the use of tone and differing brush strokes to present a contemporary image of the Scottish landscape, aiming to change the perception of the landscape seen by the viewer.

Martin explains, “I originally discovered an artistic ability in portraiture and wildlife, moving onto landscapes which have now become my recognized field in a distinctive style”.

Inspired by minimalism, spare with detail, encouraging a regard for simplicity, the strengths of his watercolour paintings lie in the boldness of the colours he uses, perfectly outlined with Indian ink.

His paintings have proved a huge success in his short time with Artery Gallery, selling out all of his previous exhibitions.

The work of Martin Devine can be viewed online at www.arteryuk.com or by visiting Artery Gallery in St Andrews and Crieff

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Scottish Seascape Paintings

("Machrinhanish" by Colin Carruthers)

Exhibiting at Artery Gallery in Crieff and St Andrews with his new work is internationally selling artist Colin Carruthers Due to the high success Colin has had in exhibiting his work previously through Artery Gallery, he has given the gallery exclusive selling rights, now allowing them to be the only gallery in Scotland to show his works.

Jason of Artery Gallery says “We feel this is a bit of a coup for us, being a Scottish contemporary art gallery and securing unique selling rights to the works of a successful artist. We like to work with our artists and try to help them progress. In his time exhibiting with us, we have seen a fantastic development in Colin’s work and this has been reflected in his success”.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Colin says, “I regularly travel to Scotland, where I find the high drama of the Scottish Coast, a constant source of influence for my paintings. There's a challenge involved in my work. With every canvas I attempt, I am searching for something. Beyond simply looking at my paintings and gaining an aesthetic pleasure, I do think it's important that they offer up space for thought"

The strengths of his canvases lie in their versatile response to nature as he grapples with the relationship between memory, place and emotion. His work challenges our assumptions of landscape and returns us to a new sense of engagement, both spiritual and practical, with our surroundings.

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Wedding Gift Registration Service at Artery Gallery

You can now register your wedding gift list at Artery Gallery.

Our wedding gift registration service offers you the opportunity to commemorate your wedding day with a list of gift ideas for your friends and family to choose from.

Anything from clocks, to paintings and wall hangings are available, giving you the inspiration and opportunity to build your own collection of unique, original artwork.

When registering your wedding or civil partnership, you receive a catalogue of ideas and suggestions from us, which you can also add your own choices to. When you have chosen all the gifts you hope for, we will complete your registration by adding you and your partner-to-be to our website – with a web-page of your very own. This will include photographs, dimensions and prices of all the items you choose, with a secure, online purchasing function. Your friends and family will be able to browse the pages of your gift list before deciding on their purchase.

Friends and family can even combine their finances to purchase a larger item such as a painting. Paintings can be reserved for your list by paying a small deposit of 20%.

Create you own unique wedding gift list today here at Artery Gallery.

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Portraying Essence and Emotion - Paintings by Steve Johnston

("Rainy Day" by Steve Johnston)

Here at Artery Gallery, we are proud to introduce the paintings from renowned artist Steve Johnston.

Born in Glasgow in 1956, Steve grew up in Dumfries before attending Art College in Carlisle. Whilst in his second year, he opted for a change of medium preferring photography to painting. Upon graduating, he moved to London to work as a freelance photographer working for magazines such as Vogue and I-D. His work was published in various books and magazines and was included in the 'Lives' exhibition at the Haward Gallery, London.

In 1991, when photography no longer became inspirational for him, he started painting seriously again concentrating once again on the medium that he had originally embraced. He says, “It was then that something clicked and I have not looked back since……painting is my life.”

He is always drawn to figures that create a great shape. Details such as ‘how’ someone is standing or ‘what’ they are doing come into play afterwards. It is the graphic shape of the ‘body mass’ that inspires the first ideas. Certain images can unlock powerful emotions which are separate from what the actual content of the picture could create if focused on in more detail.

He adds, "I approach my 'backgrounds' very much as an abstract painter - colours, composition etc are chosen instinctively rather than being pre-planned. Certain images can unlock powerful emotions which can be separate from the actual content of the picture....the aim is to portray and essences and emotion rather than a precise person or specific location.'

Steve always takes the shape of his figures from photographs, generally using side or back views to create a more anonymous character. For this same reason he prefers minimal backgrounds. Using a mixture of oil and acrylic on the same canvas, he likes to experiment and play with colour to draw as much emotional response from the image as possible. The backgrounds are always in acrylic, whilst the figures are always in oil. This is so the oil figure can be worked on in a way that will make it stand out from the background.

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Tom Payne - "The Grunts"

Tom Payne graduated from the Kent Institute of art and design in 2000 and has gone on to become a successful self employed sculptor and model maker. His sculptures are generally figurative based and built using coiling techniques in high-grog crank clay.

He says “I concentrate on poise and character rather than realism but like my figure to be easily recognisable and relatable too. My finishing is normally quite rough as I like to show the surface and making-marks such as fingerprints.” Each ‘Grunt’, as Tom calls them, are one-off pieces, however they exist in themes and groupings.

The clay is first rolled into a sausage, making sure each one is roughly the same standing height, before being chopped and bent into their required seated, crouching or standing position. The details are then sculptured into the clay creating the basic shape of the figure together with the posture and hand gestures before further detailing including trouser folds and muscle tone is added. When the sculpture is complete and firing has taken place, the pieces are then quickly smoke-fired with wood chips to a very low temperature which gives the desired finished result.

A finished Grunt can quite happily stand or sit there on his own, but the best visual effect is experienced when they are placed into a group. This gives a fantastic and sometimes quite comical impression that some kind of conversation or debate is taking place between the Grunts.

Tom’s work has been displayed all over the UK as well as being involved in several high profile public art projects since graduating. Most notable of these projects include Tom helping in the construction of the site for ‘Dino Dig’ at the Natural History Museum in 2006. Tom was commissioned to create lifelike clay dinosaur bones that were to be buried in sand, ready for children to excavate during an exhibition at the Museum.

Prior to that In 2005, Tom was commissioned by a recruitment marketing company to make models for the ultimate 'People Brand' at the AHHRM Awards (Association of Healthcare Human Resource Management). The campaign was to brand Whipps Cross University Hospital in London as a Trust that has an exciting future ahead and recognises that their biggest asset going forward is their people.

Models were created based on real-life employees, one from every department within the hospital. Images of Tom’s sculptures were used for advertising posters that were displayed on London buses and taxis, in brochures and on the web. The campaign was well received both internally and externally including helping to win the 'Best Employer Brand' Award itself.

Tom was also involved in an environmental advertising campaign that was aired on MTV in 2007. He was asked to create a Polar Bear mould to be used as an animation for the television adverts aired on the channel through Spring of that year.

The sculptures by Tom Payne are on show for the first time in Scotland at Artery Gallery in both St Andrews and Crieff, and can also be viewed online at www.arteryuk.com

The Lie of the Land - Aerial Abstract Landscape Paintings by Peter Davenport

("Field Patterns, Holkham" by Peter Davenport)

Peter Davenport was born in England in 1931 to a French mother and Anglo/Scots father. Peter followed his father into the army and just like his father, eventually became a highly ranked officer himself. With the army being a major part of his early life, this meant moving around the country was common practice without settling anywhere for any great length of time. Eventually Peter moved to Perthshire and has been living there now since 1962.

After his time with the Army he studied drawing and painting at the Edinburgh College of Art.

During the 1970`s Peter went on to teach Photography at the Edinburgh College of Art and has worked in various branches of this field since then. With photography always being a huge passion of Peter’s, he bases many of his semi-abstract paintings on his collection of aerial photographs of the landscape below.

Combining the two different viewpoints of the landscape from above and from looking across the horizon, Peter Davenport’s contemporary oil paintings have developed into a very distinctive style unique to himself.

His latest series of works are of the coast line and patchwork-like field patterns of the North Norfolk coast. With this particular area of East Anglia striking a chord with Peter’s consciousness, the outcome of his paintings of Holkham tide line are full of passion and emotion with a vibrant mix of green and brown hues working with, as apposed to conflicting with, the sharp blue tones.

He has held various solo shows including those at the renowned Richard Demarco Gallery in Edinburgh and with the English Speaking Union. His paintings hang in collections across the United Kingdom, in Canada, France, Germany, Denmark and the U.S.A.

Peter Davenport now exhibits exclusively all year round at Artery Gallery in both Crieff and St Andrews where his oil on board paintings of landscapes and geometric abstracts continue to be well received by new, as well as existing collectors of his work.

His works can also be viewed on the Artery Gallery website at www.arteryuk.com

Artery Gallery Celebrates Two Years in St Andrews

Throughout the end of May, Artery Gallery on South Street are celebrating what has been an exciting and enjoyable second year in the town.

The many locals and overseas visitors to have visited the gallery have showed great excitement and support since the opening in the town in May 2006. The continued growth and variety of local, national and international artists has been the major factor in Artery Gallery’s development from the early beginnings of the Crieff gallery to the expansion of the St Andrews branch.

Together with the addition of popular Scottish landscape painters Martin Devine, Jane Duckfield and John Wetten-Brown, Artery Gallery has also introduced two renowned International artists. Italian painter and cloud appreciation society member Alberto Bertoldi was introduced to exhibiting in Scotland last year with great anticipation. His photo-realistic oil paintings of storm building and sunburst clouds transfix the viewer with their immense beauty. Alberto has arranged over 30 exhibitions of his work across Italy and has also had books published based solely on his cloud paintings.

Following on from Alberto Bertoldi, was the arrival of Alexandros Arabatzoglou, a truly renowned sculptor from Crete and heralded by many in the art world as the Cretian Henry Moore. Alexandros’ sculptures have been sold to private collectors all over the world, and demand for his work has been such that he has not exhibited in a gallery for nearly nine years, despite offers from some of the worlds most prestigious galleries. However, after striking up a relationship with Artery Gallery, Alexandros decided to end his gallery exile by exhibiting one of his hand carved sculptures in their St Andrews branch.

The Director of Artery Gallery explains “After meeting with Alexandros in Crete last year, I was amazed at his drive, passion and enthusiasm for his work and his art. For him, creating his sculpture is like breaking down to the bare bones of his inner soul, using his hands to carve into the stone and creating an extension of himself within each individual sculpture”. He adds “Here at Artery Gallery, we are always looking to expand on the superb catalogue of talent we exhibit, and inviting Alexandros to join us, knowing of the interest he has gained, is exciting for the gallery, for St Andrews, and for world art exhibited in Scotland”.

The collection of seascape paintings by Colin Carruthers have gained popularity with every one of his exhibitions, and during the last year this has seen Colin grant Artery Gallery with exclusive exhibiting rights for Scotland.

Handmade Jewellery has continued to show great popularity in the St Andrews Gallery with Artery exhibiting works from over 10 different jewellers, stretching from Brazil to Israel, as well as those from a little closer to home such as Dunfermline, Crieff, Oban and Stirling! All very different and unique in techniques, materials and style.

Artery Gallery has been a major supporter of contemporary Scottish artists over the past few years from the gallery in King Street, Crieff and their award winning website, and continues to boost artist profiles by introducing them to the busy Scottish town of St Andrews where it’s UK and overseas visitors can see some of the best contemporary artwork first hand.

Artery Gallery at 43 South Street, St Andrews (01334 478221) and 22 King Street, Crieff (01764 655722).

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Rob Mulholland - Sculpture for Scotland

Rob Mulholland has been exhibiting successfully at Artery Gallery with his metal work for nearly three years. The vibrancy, and craftsmanship of his bowls in particular proving a real hit all year round.

He has recently had eight sculptures commissioned by Scottish Enterprise and Forestry Commission Scotland. The brief was to create representations of animals and birds as part of the natural food chain in the forest. The brief allowed for a certain degree of abstraction of the forms as long as they were still recognisable to the public.

Rob says, "My proposal aimed to develop each sculpture individually utilising different materials and methodology. I felt that it was also important to vary the scale and placing of each sculpture to add variety and interest to the trail."

The whole project has taken four months from the planning stage in January 2008 to the installation of the work and final completion at the end of April 2008.

The first of Rob's sculptures to be installed at the trail is the giant 'Osprey'. He explains, "With this sculpture I wanted to explore the form and movement of the bird. As the ideas developed I thought that it would be an interesting to construct the bird out of the type of small twigs that they collect to build their nests. I was keen to switch the materials and decided to use 6 and 8mm steel rode. The freedom offered by welding these small interlocking pieces allowed me to create varied masses within the form of the sculpture which makes the shape change as one moves around the Osprey. From certain angles the form becomes more abstracted."


Rob Mulholland was interviewed on BBC's 'Landward' programme which aired in May, by Nick Nairn on the installation of the Osprey sculpture, the first of eight for the new Loch Ard cycle trail in the Trossachs.

Rob's work can be purchased online at http://www.arteryuk.com/artists/Mulholland,Rob/

Buying Handmade Over The Mass Produced

The rapid rise of the large chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us furnishing and dressing alike. It’s almost like the consumer is being told what to buy because the shelves are full with goods of all the same design and colour as the next shop. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost.

Mass production has always been with us, generally speaking as a way of ensuring quality. But this has not always been the case. Taking printing as an example, the earliest printers initially showed perfectionist tendencies, probably because the hand operated press machine and letter stamps were all created by hand to do the job. In the late sixteenth century, printing began to turn into an industry. It was largely considered at the time that these industrial printing practices should never allow commercial considerations to lower the typographical standard of books and printed documents.

But things inevitably went the other way in the nineteenth century after the invention of the steam press. The necessity to produce cheaper books and newspapers meant that standards fell, and mass production began to gain its poor reputation. It was during the nineteenth century that artist and writer William Morris began to worry that mechanised production was taking away opportunities for individual creativity, and to almost dehumanise people's working and social lives. Morris planned to counter these apparent problems with a revival of handicrafts. Numerous craft based associations, guilds and communities were founded, and the idea of something being hand made all of a sudden became rather fashionable. The customers for these hand made products were of course the better off for this change.

A memorial to what became known as the ‘Arts and Crafts Movement’ is now preserved at Standen in Sussex, a grand house decorated by William Morris himself.

It is often considered that buying a handmade gift involves that little bit more consideration and thought. You buy into something that is a unique, one off creation, and in today’s world that is still consumed by mass produced goods, it makes it all the more satisfying.

A handmade craft, whether it’s in the form of a painting, clock, pottery or jewellery, will be chosen for its pure individuality and will instantly reflect the personality of the purchaser.

If it has been purchased for the purpose of a gift, the buyer may well feel the satisfaction of supporting an artist or craftsperson as well as being confident of giving something of quality and uniqueness. Likewise, the recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is clearly absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

If you are looking to buy, whether for yourself or someone else, buying handmade can help us reconnect with ourselves and therefore certainly better for both maker and buyer.

Above: Allan Craig Arts and Craft style copper clocks, mirrors and sconces
Top of post: Kerry Whittle, John McPhail and Tim Fowler

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