By Bernie Bell.

I saw this on a friend’s FB page

and thought it looked interesting.  The list includes a few artists that I’m familiar with and like the work of, and the un-knowns could be …a revelation!

I’ve previously written of the work of Robinson RR, Sam Gray and Evie Donaldson

https://theorkneynews.scot/?s=Robinson+R.R.+Bernie+bell

https://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16389

I’ve written of Sheila Fleet’s jewellery gallery and café

Good Things in Deerness & Tankerness

and wondered if her work in this exhibition might present a different way of expressing? 

We’ve seen most excellent photographs by Colin Black on Orkney Wildlife FB page, and wondered if this was the same Colin Black?

So, we went along to see what’s to be seen

The exhibition was in aid of the RNLI  and of Soma’s Light, both of which were represented as we went through the door

Along with a novel approach to getting feedback on the exhibition – a tub of pebbles, and tubs with questions about folk’s responses – add a pebble for ‘Yes’ leave it for ‘No’. I likes stones, so this appealed to me

Then, into the exhibition space

The following is a purely personal choice of what particularly caught my attention at the time.

Walking  clockwise round the room

‘Doorway, St. Magnus Cathedral’ by Colin Black, and he is the same Colin Black who takes wonderful wildlife photos – he obviously  ‘has an eye’

Then Robinson R.R. ….. ‘Orkney Shore Haiku #18’ – of which I took a detail – because I likes it!

Sheila Fleet’s ‘Hoxa Head Rocks & Sea’ was something I wouldn’t have picked up on as being by Sheila Fleet, as I’m much more familiar with her jewellery

One of the postcard-size works laid out on the tables in the middle of the room…Jennifer Litts  ‘How Fragile Is A Fragile Soul?’ will speak to all the fragile souls out there who know that some are more fragile than others, some in different ways, and that some can cope with it better than others.

We appreciated this so much – we bought it

Sue Taylor’s ‘Seven Windows, Tullibardine Chapel, Perthshire’, was hard to photograph due to reflections on the glass but somehow I think they complimented it

Living in these times, how the world is and how people can be, can get to me – get me down.  When I go to an exhibition such as this, or those presently in the Pier Arts Centre….

https://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=17747

It does me good – helps to make me feel better  – that there are people who have this in them and who want to, and do, produce these works – these expressions of what’s in them and in LIFE.

So, I’d like to say ‘Thank You’ to the people who lift my spirits in this way.

It was also interesting to visit the Distillery, the owners of which kindly provided the exhibition space which is available for hire for functions or events. They have a fine display of gins & whisky as carry-oots

or to imbibe on the premises

And, from the bar, you can see the stills – which are works of art in themselves

There was talk of Evie and Yvonne doing something similar again – and I hope they do!