Exhibition + Event News
On the 18th November 10.30-4pm I will be opening up my studio to visitors for one day only. I have some new work to show you and a collection from my store. I do hope you can come along.
My address is 8 Wellpark Terrace East Newport on Tay DD6 8HT
If you are interested in purchasing but cannot make these events please do book an appointment via info@helenglassford.co.uk
Earlier on on the year I made a series of new small quiet paintings. I consider them quiet because of their simplicity. It is tricky to talk about these new works. Do I need to explain them? Well, no not really yet when I am told they are not like my normal work I feel defensive. It’s difficult to encapsulate ideas and thoughts within the fuddle and muddle of the written word. Landscape is my muse and painting my medium. I sometimes think of the land as containing it’s own ideas and thoughts, these change with the day, time and season. It passes on and offers its imprint onto our psyche and souls. Past histories, fallen trees, paths overgrown, stones and hills, our acute awareness of the losses, our optimistic vision, imagination and memory. Our senses and influences are not linear nor singular. They rely on and are energised by each other - a multi directional matrix. My paintings are a reflection of this. Deeply rooted in this experience of the multi faceted nature of the land and the experimentation to find the natural language for the moment. Like the light they don’t need to be explained. Like the stones and hills they are simply there. Yet we have a need to understand. There is no need, perhaps we can just wonder.
I am delighted that two of these paintings have been selected from thousands of entries for The Discerning Eye exhibition Mall Galleries London 2023
Sun Set
Sun Space
I’m delighted to announce that I have been elected as professional member of the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society.
Inspiration on The Tay
I am delighted to share the news that Radio 4’s Dougie Vipond came to visit me back in May during my open studios event. He was recording a new programme for Open Country on Radio 4. My part was a light hearted interview (including chatting to visitors to my studio) regarding the inspiration that The River Tay has had on my work. The programme will be aired on the 6th July 3pm
“Dougie Vipond visits the River Tay, which runs from its source in the Highlands, past Dundee and out to sea. For centuries, the Tay estuary has shaped how creative people have expressed themselves. Starting at McDuff's Cross, the author Robin Crawford explains the Tay's link to Shakespeare - who was said to have drawn inspiration for his play Macbeth from this area. Pre-Raphaelite painters Turner and Millais knew the area well, Beatrix Potter imagined some of her most famous creations on the Tay's banks, and some of Scotland's best known artists such as Raeburn and Naismith depicted the landscape in their paintings. Dougie visits the studio of a contemporary landscape artist, Helen Glassford, to find out how her view of the silvery Tay continues to have an impact on artists today. “ BBC Radio 4
Produced by Ruth Sanderson
Dougie Vipond and Helen Glassford In her studio in Newport on Tay
My painting Immerse can now be seen in The McManus Museum and Gallery New Acquisitions Exhibtion. It is hung alongside paintings by Frances Walker, James Morrison, Anne Redpath , Joan Eardley.
London 6th-9th June
I am honoured and grateful to be included in 10 YEARS OF MODERN MASTERS exhibition in London hosted by The Scottish Gallery.
“…We present an exclusive collection of post war and contemporary paintings in London…”
Artists include ; Barbara Balmer, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, John Bellany, Elizabeth Blachadder, FCB Cadell, Doug Cocker, Victoria Crowe, Alan Davie, Joan Eardley, JD Fergusson, Ian Fleming, Alexandrr Goudie, Lachlan Goudie, Derrick Guild, John Houston, GL Hunter, Angie Lewin, William McTaggart, James Morrison, Alberto Morrocco, Lean Morocco, Lilian Neilson, Denis People, SJPeploe, Robin Philipson, Anne Redpath, James Downie Robertson, Duncan Shanks, Janise Yntema.
For further information please visit this link to the exhibition. Modern Masters London
Opening Times | London
Tuesday 6 June 12noon – 5pm
Wednesday 7 June 11am – 6pm
Thursday 8 June 11am – 6pm
Friday 9 June 11am – 3pm
Gallery 8, 8 Duke Street, St James’, London, SW1Y 6BN
I will be present in the gallery at the champagne reception 6-7.30pm. Please get in touch with the gallery for details. mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk
Every Waking Moment - Helen Glassford - 27th May to 25th June
For more details please visit the Strathearn Gallery website
Each landscape, has an atmosphere and climate of its own. As you turn the corner and face the sun, the wind now at your back, the ambience shifts. With you and you within it.
This is an exhibition, about these moments, the natural language of nature and the connections we have with it. Noting the shifts in air, light, wind, the fast and fleeting flurries, interspersed with slower, timeless pauses. Light diamonds dance on the lochan, choreographed by the north wind. Disappearing as quickly as they came by the orchestration of passing clouds. Almost imperceptible changes but there all the same. At other times peaty darkness drives through with January squalls leaving a noisy presence that lingers. Later, a silent twilight which has an awareness of its own. Every minute the atmosphere changes we are simply the participants or perhaps custodians of those moments. They are there to be sensed, there to be noticed and to be part of and inspired by.
These oil paintings are my way of communicating what I see and experience when in the landscape whether it be in North East Fife where I live or in the more remote areas that I love to explore, in the hope that others may see it and experience it too.
It gives me great pleasure to invite you to my Open Studios Exhiibition. Sat 29th Sun 30th April, Mon 1st May 10am-5pm. Once a year I take part in the North Fife Open Studios. Free entry to the creative spaces of 73 artists and makers in North Fife. For more information and directions please visit the Open Studios website
My studio address is 8 Wellpark Terrace East, Newport on Tay, Fife DD6 8HT. 07768 481751 I look forward not meeting and greeting many people over the bank holiday weekend.
Open Studios - Sat 29th April - Monday 1st May 2023. I’m looking forward to welcoming you all to my annual open studios. Work will be hung throughout the studio and house for you to enjoy.
Solo Show at Strathearn Gallery Crieff- 27th May - 25th June 2023
Solo Show at The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh December 2024
Work is currently available from
Resipole Gallery • West Coast Scotland
Heinzel Gallery • Aberdeen
Iona House Gallery • Woodstock
Matterport virtual tour. (Please see images for true colour)
I have three forthcoming events at The Scottish Gallery in conjunction with my solo exhibition Encounters. Please see below for details
Meet The Artist in The Gallery • Saturday 2nd April - 11am - 1pm • I will be in the Gallery on Dundas Street meeting and greeting visitors and chatting about my work. See link for details. There is no need to book this event just turn up.
Meet the Artist on Zoom • Tuesday 5th April - 5pm • I will be in conversation with gallery director Tommy Zyw talking about my process and ideas behind my solo show. See link for details - Please sign up for this event
Online Exhibition Tour • Join me for a personal online tour of my exhibition with The Scottish Gallery. PLease sign up for this event.
Exhibition Dates
31st March -30th April
Preview 30th March
Idling • Oil on Board • 2021
“It seems appropriate for me to define the experience of landscape as chance meetings, or encounters, with the influence of that experience going beyond the purely elemental. It is internal and peripheral, time and touch, mood and memory. It imprints its character on the psyche, leaves traces in the memory, and strays far beyond any physical map……” Helen Glassford . Excerpt from Encounters Catalogue 2022
I am delighted to say that my debut solo exhibition at The Scottish Gallery is now live on line. It has been an incredible nine months of travel and preparation as I have journeyed through a body of work that includes landscapes inspired by an early Winter visit to Assynt and a Summer trip to The Western Isles and St Kilda. There was so much I wanted to say with paint but feel this curation encompasses the true nature of the Encounters I experienced. My hope is, that you too can experience them.
The exhibition will go live on The Scottish Gallery website on the 22nd March. If you are signed up for my mailing list I too will notify you of this. The Exhibiton will be launched on the 30th March and open to the public from the 31st March.
The Gallery have made a beautiful catalogue to accompany the exhibition. If you wish to purchase it please follow the link below.
It is my privilege to have created this body of work, my thanks go to The Scottish Gallery for inviting me.
I am delighted to announce that on Friday 11th February I will be releasing a new Studio Collection. Over the past year I have worked on both oils and water based paintings simultaneously. The majority of the oil paintings will be shown at my solo show at The Scottish Gallery at the end of March 2022 but I’m happy to be able to make the works on paper available now. Please keep checking the Buying page throughout the day or sign up to my mailing list to be notified in advance.
31st July -28th August
Works can be viewed on my paintings page here
I am delighted to share the news that I will be once again exhibiting at Tatha Gallery. It’s been eight months since I left the role of co-founding director so I am thrilled to be back showing my work in the beautiful and familiar space.
This body of work has developed intuitively as my mind wandered to the hills and coasts. The six vertical format pieces named Bleached, Hidden Lochan, Boundless, Cadence, Revel and Shroud were all inspired by moments of reverie and places of mystery and remoteness. Andrew Greig’s Loch of the Green Corrie came to mind for the secretive mountainous images as did the poetry of Norman MacCaig.
The larger pieces in the show; Quell, Time Out and Incoming Tide are peripheral places that have taken on the personality given to them by the light and air of the moment. All suggestions their own way of a new day, a new time, a new hour whilst being contemplative and ever aware of the present.
It is a pleasure to be showing this body of work in my home town and I hope very much that you will take a moment to enjoy
Incoming Tide • 48x122cm
Eight years ago I visited the Resipole Gallery on a research mission. I was in the early stages of designing and building up the business model for Tatha Gallery and wanted at the time to visit most galleries around Scotland. The bonus with visiting Resipole was not only enjoying the wonderful gallery space but I managed to climb a couple of Munros on route; a win win.
I was delighted to be asked to show my work. The remote location pairs so well with my painting and ideas and as a result I have enjoying exploring the wild to the full.
Everything In-Between • Oil on Board • 48x122cm • 2020
READ THE ART NORTH REVIEW OF MY SOLO SHOW HERE
See exhibition here Resipole Gallery or in the On-line catalogue
Works can also be seen on my Paintings 2021 page
To paint the landscape as I do means to interact with and explore the intimate and curiously infinite world. The lichens and mosses at our feet and the heavy skies above, the ground and roof to our world and everything in between. Encountering the effects of weather patterns and atmospheric shifts on rugged coastlines, cliffed ridges, dark waters, soaring stone or windswept beaches are just part of the story. Each place we visit has multiple elements of influence upon us. I see them as moments but they are almost immeasurable. As we walk on the sodden moors into the shadow of the raincloud we step directly into the cloud’s influence. Our eyes adjust and our senses sharpen. If only for a moment we become part of something else. A changing contoured space, peat bogs absorbing light, lochans reflecting. Sunlight spilling over distant mountain ridges, earthy aromas at your feet as you tread through the undergrowth. The shadow of the cloud not only defines the undulating fabric of the land but also the mood. It seeps into our skin if we allow it and the personality of the visual and sensory world meld together.
These moments are my subject, these moments take on a painterly form.
I currently have work available from The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh and The Iona House Gallery in Woodstock.
A year of Flux. A month of 2021 is already behind us, the snowdrops are poking through the sodden earth and we have spring just around the corner. Planning for exhibitions isn’t quite so easy to predict as the cyclical nature of the seasons. The North Fife Open Studios in May has been cancelled but I am happy to say I will offer an alternative to this whether it be online or in person once restrictions have eased but this will be decided nearer the time. Please watch this space and new-letters for announcements.
In the meantime Please see the dates below for further opportunities to see and buy my work.
• Joint Exhibition with Michele Bianco ceramicist - Loch Torridon – Preview 24th February - Online video format via Michele’s instagram feed. I will share this as a newsletter, on my website and Instagram for you all too see. Works will be available in my online shop on the 25th Feb for direct purchase.
This Exhibition is now live here Torridon Exhibition
• Solo Exhibition at Reispole Gallery • Strontian, Argyll – 30th May to 9th July
• Tatha Gallery Summer exhibition – • 30th July - 27th August
Patience • Oil on Board • 18x24cm
My last day at Tatha Gallery is fast approaching. As some of you may know, I have taken the decision to make new and positive changes in my life, and to carve out a future to which I will be fully committed. I am looking forward to what lies ahead, yet it is natural that I am also filled with trepidation. I am leaving behind a business that I have put my heart and soul into. Anyone who has started their own business or who has chosen to change their path, will surely understand the mixed emotions that come with moving on, but I am proud of everything we have achieved since the idea of Tatha was born eight years ago. Since then, the gallery has become synonymous with quality and style, has become known internationally for wonderful Scottish Art, and has brought light and enjoyment for a great many.
Deciding to do something about your ideas can often be daunting. We tend to think of the pitfalls instead of the opportunities, but if your dreams are close to your heart they become an existential need. For instance, when I founded Tatha Gallery with my former business partner I had the deep desire as a single mum to provide for my daughter, and to show her that you can make positive choices to help change your life for the better. You can take control and forge a way forward however nerve-wracking it maybe. My years as a self-employed artist had already been fruitful, yet I knew I had more in me, with plenty more energy and ideas to commit to the arts. At the time, rightly or wrongly I always felt painting was something of a selfish pursuit. A piece of my jigsaw was missing, and I realised I had the desire to give more back - to make a difference, and to help others.
I didn’t want to go down the route of Academia as many artists do, because as a free-spirit the restrictions and demands of employment within an institution would very likely have been too great. Since leaving Art College I had increasingly become frustrated with what I felt were entrenched perceptions that commercially successful art could not also be taken seriously. I left Art College in 2002 with a Masters and Diploma under my belt with the overriding feeling that being able to sell your art was somehow frowned upon. This is a conversation I have enjoyed time and time again in my time at Tatha and it is one I still feel passionate about. I wished to set about finding a way of changing this or indeed trying to shift and blur the edges somewhat; letting it be known that it is indeed okay to sell your art and if you are able to sell it then it doesn’t mean that it is in some ways less worthy of acclaim. If some art seems inaccessible it doesn’t automatically mean it is better. We have proved this time and time again at Tatha, bringing a huge variety of great art to the area and inspiring and enriching the lives of those who then went on to choose to purchase, and live with the work they saw. We have shown that Scottish artists are full of talent, passion, and incredible ideas, and that the work they do does indeed make a difference to people’s lives.
Back in 2012, the gallery had its genesis. Marie and Mark Cashley had in mind the huge and somewhat impressive project of resurrecting and restoring the sadly dilapidated Newport Hotel. They had great vision and determination, and over eighteen months or so we formed the ideas to create a space where people could enjoy Artworks with the Tay Estuary as a beautiful backdrop. It was hands on from the very beginning. Courage, belief, and determination are needed to embark on such an adventure, but it takes even more to make it succeed. Both the local and Arts community were behind us all the way, and for this I will be forever grateful.
The launch of the inaugural exhibition in April 2014 was certainly a night to remember. Rain was pouring down, but the Gallery was packed to the hilt. Richard Demarco had very warmly agreed to open the gallery for us, leaving me quite an act to follow with my inaugural speech. I realised then that people want others to succeed. They want to offer support, and be part of new things. It gave me faith to go forward with the ideas that would hopefully put Newport on Tay on the International Art map.
Tatha became a place where ideas could be made visual, connections could be made for others, and life could be enriched. We offered exhibitions, and accompanying talks and demonstrations, within a communal creative hub that would inspire all ages. Building the trust and endorsement took time and a lot of effort, and the learning curve for building a business was steep and exponential. This was an exciting time. The model was always flexible, the work fun, and the business grew. It was also an exciting time to be a woman in business and as a single mum I wanted to be a positive role model for my daughter, to show her that women can indeed shoot for the stars. I took advice from respected businesswomen and men who all said to believe in yourself and surround yourself with good mentors. Both pieces of advice proved to be invaluable.
Whilst building the Gallery’s reputation consumed much of my time and energy, I became ever aware that my own work as a Painter should never be neglected and in fact I made sure that I allotted specific time slots for each, seeking balance by often working late into the night once my daughter was in bed. Since I am most happy when I paint, the extra hours were never a chore. In the midst of this two-pronged working life, I was often asked whether I was a gallerist, or an artist? The question was interesting, but almost irrelevant. At this time, I truly felt that it was possible to be both, and indeed became both, as my mind moulded itself to the two roles and I saw the benefits that each offered the other. Being a gallerist has been really fascinating, giving me invaluable insights into the business side of the Art World that I otherwise would not have had.
There have been many highlights in my time at Tatha. We hosted a fabulous solo show by Frances Walker in the first year which led to us working on her behalf, along with Arthur Watson, in helping to bequest her Antarctic Suite of paintings to the McManus Galleries in Dundee. Seeing this body of works there in the recent exhibition sent shivers down my spine, knowing that these wonderful paintings were now to be in their care in perpetuity.
Working with Norman Gilbert over the years has been a delight. On every level his exhibitions have been a success. His passion was unwavering, his paintings a continuing delight. His exhibitions with Tatha made the world a smaller place by connecting thousands of people all over the planet who loved and admired his work. The BBC Loop programme was a huge success in helping to promote his imagery and story. It was a very sad day when Norman passed away. I was truly humbled to have been asked to speak at his funeral, and honoured to have been able, along with Lindsay, to have played such a large part in sharing his work globally.
None of this would have happened were it not for all the support that we were given. Art critics Jan Patience and Giles Sutherland worded generous articles in favour of our shows. Art International covered three of our exhibitions, and local help came repeatedly from Michael Alexander at the Courier. Spreading the news on a more personal level came from our dedicated and loyal customers, many of whom are now friends. I feel so thankful to everyone who came through the doors with their words of encouragement and am sorry I will not be able to thank everyone in person. In the nearly seven years that our doors have been open we have hosted 54 exhibitions and supported over 200 artists. These artists have been paramount to our success and I am truly thankful to all of them for producing such stunning work and committing to the exhibitions over the years. Working with Lindsay and Clare has been a joy, making the tough times fun and the good times great. I leave in the knowledge that the gallery is in wonderful hands. Lindsay will fly the flag with continued energy and renewed vision, and I am in no doubt that Tatha will go from strength to strength in the years to come.
I am truly excited about venturing forth with my career in painting and I am happy that I can now fully commit to putting all my energies into exploring new ideas and projects. The landscape of Scotland has so much to offer and in recent years I have missed the freedom of being able to roam at will to find new subject matter. I plan to organise residencies where research can be undertaken in areas of Scotland that I perhaps haven’t been to before. From my Newport studio in my first year I will create a body of work with the fresh eyes and renewed focus that reflects the new-found freedom. This will hopefully reflect a freer year for us all after such a difficult 2020.
There is much to be celebrated here in Scotland. The attraction of the raw and uninhabited landscapes such as Rannoch Moor and the Northern Highlands still have a hold over me, but I will take time to experience the coastline beaches and shoreline closer to home too. The drama and the solitude of these places is powerful and often threads its way through my work. The landscape has to be experienced first-hand and at length to then paint it with the respect it is due. Perhaps I am entranced by the idea of the hermit lifestyle, I will certainly revel in the quiet delights of spending time in the wilds but with a firm intent to create work which lets others discover the true nature and glory of Scottish escapism. I fully intend to share this with you all via exhibitions, my website and Instagram.
Research and writing will also play a larger part in my work going forward, to be an artist means that multi disciplines can be explored and the poetic and lyrical nature of my work lends itself to exploring writings and words of others. How people see the world is truly inspiring. Despite my ideas in the earlier naive years of my career about creating being rather insular pursuit I now realise it is in fact the opposite. Art connects and truly has the power to transform the way we think and feel. So, I find myself once again taking a huge step forward, making decisions and changes to my life. I believe that our lives can take many twists and turns for the better, our formative ideas of who we are meant to be are malleable if you wish. New colour can be added and subtracted as you see fit.
2020 will have brought about many life changing situations for people and for those teetering on the edge of wonderous new directions I would wholeheartedly, with a little planning, recommend going for it. Paint with that new colour, make your new marks and explore potential.
