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.