If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere as coastal as Dunbar, the sea inevitably becomes a part of you. The tides, the colours, the clouds reflected on grey or blue or black; the wind whipping up the sand or the dazzling high-summer sun winking off the foam; the rattle of pebbles as they dance up on the shoreline with the advancing, retreating waves; and the horizon heralding the next offering. The sea and all its personalities becomes, somehow, necessary in a way that makes it utterly unthinkable to live too far from it.
I couldn’t have set my first book anywhere but by the sea – this sea – carving around it the story of two young friends who go to the beach one summer day and discover so much about each other as they play – sometimes together, sometimes simply alongside one another – at the edge of the water. Around them stride the curlews, oystercatchers and gulls we recognise so well in this stunning corner of the world, foraging amongst the shingle.
As ever, there is so much to be found at the beach, and the friends take their pleasure in very different treasure hunts: one for shells, the other for stones. But, as the story progresses, what becomes clear – partly through words but also in acclaimed artist Yu Rong’s tender drawings – is that the boys are on a very different sort of treasure hunt on the beach that day.
What the boys discover, down by the shore, in amongst the shells and pebbles, seabirds and spray, is each other. The beach is the place where their friendship – in amongst all their differences and idiosyncrasies – blossoms, and which offers them the opportunity to explore what true acceptance – true friendship – may look like.
We all take different treasure from our trips to our precious beaches: physical pieces and soulful pieces. That landscape and what we take from it is never the same on any two days or for any two people. But there is a profound beauty in all that difference – in all those finds – which offers real storytelling treasure.
Fiona,x
The Boy who Loves to Lick the Wind £12.99
Available to buy at Found Tues - Sat 10 am - 5pm
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We are delighted to introduce Dunbar based artist Sue Shields, her beautiful monoprints perfectly capture the history and character of our distinctive town and coastline. Also finding inspiration in their surroundings are local artists Rebecca Dover, Fee Dickson Reid and Kate Millbank.
by Sue Shields
by Anette Holt
by Fee Dickson Reid
by Kate Millbank
Pop some sparkle in that special stocking with intricate, etched and hand cut silver jewellery from Anne Farag and Nancy Pickard or Keum Boo treasures from Lisa Crockard. If you’ve been good (and to make sure you get what you really want) pick something out yourself and we’ll gift wrap it ready for Santa to collect.
by Anne Farag
by Lisa Crockard
Ceramicists Rachel Entwhistle, Lorna Gilbert and Rosemary Jacks offer a range of mugs, bowls, vases and jugs that are both beautiful and useful, a perfect combination! While Andrew Major and Jack Durling provide a dash of pottery fun.
by Rachel Entwhistle
by Jack Durling
We always like to bring you something a little different or quirky and this year we think you’ll love, Karin Celestine’s needle felt sculptures with accessories made from gathered found materials; new paper and wire sculptures from Kate Kato and Helaina Sharpley; upcycled whimsical work from Rachel Blakeway; and say hello to Berts Robots.
by Karin Celestine
Bert Robots
You’ll also find handmade decorations, cards, little treats, and stocking fillers aplenty.
by Sarah Lawson
by Print Circus
We're here to bring the joy to your festive shopping and as a bonus you are supporting the local high street as well as over 100 individual makers and artists!
Shop handmade,
Shop small
Shop Found!
For more details
T: 01368 863030
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Our latest debut to Found is known as Lino Lenny! A Scottish artist and designer, Lenny Lane specialises in - you guessed it - lino printmaking! After several years working abroad, Lenny spent time travelling his Scottish homeland and reconnected with the land, culture, and history. What emerged was colourful, bold, hand printed artworks inspired by his love for Highland living. Crofts and cottages, natural fauna and mountainous vistas all contributed to the creative energy found in these works.
November
Midsummer Memory
February
I got a peep at his studio, and he told me a bit more…
“Hand printing is the cornerstone of my work - editions are not always identically perfect between prints, but it’s deeply satisfying and rewarding, and each print unique in its outcome. The amount of work I get to do depends on the volume. If it’s a small print I’ll do a large edition, and conversely larger prints, or a set of similar prints, are made as part of a smaller edition.
I have a bit of an attachment with trees, old cottages, weather and seasons, and how it all influences and marks their place in the environment. I love the play of light and pushing the norms of colour. I like the idea of remoteness and resilience and aim to show these qualities, even subliminally, in my prints. I use a hint of the ethereal in the titles of my work, since the prints are largely borne from memories and times of places visited or imagined”.
Sunrise, Sunset
Wee Clachan III
We’ve got a wonderful selection of both framed and mounted works from Lenny’s Scotland in Print series and A Year in Trees. You’ll find these eye catching pieces in our window! If you’d like any more info please drop me a message or email amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
After Dusk
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Our Winter Show opens on Sat 12th November, and brings together a dazzling collection of seasonal art, craft and design.
Celebrating the creativity and talent of over 100 artists and craft makers from East Lothian and beyond, we’ve been busy finding the beautiful, the inspirational and the truly unique must haves!
Catching our eye are these ethereal works from photographer Annette Holt. Semi abstract and built up through multiple exposures, her images are inspired by nature and have a dreamlike quality.
by Anette Holt
Coastal inspiration can be found in new paintings arriving from Dunbar artists Mandy Thompson and Eleanor Cunningham, and local painters Ged Lerpiniere and Alan Richmond.
by Eleanor Cunningham
by Ged Lerpiniere
Adding the glitz, we have jewellery from local makers Carla Edwards and Trinket Pixie. Woodland inspired ranges from Claire Troughton and Claire Hawley and making their Found debut, collections from Rock and Ore and Sarah Kinnersly.
By Rock & Ore
by Clare Hawley
Creating in clay are potters, Sarah Lawson from Edinburgh and Andrew Major from the Borders. Sarah’s vessels have become a firm favourite at Found while Andrew’s narrative pieces sold out this summer. Inspired by the elements is a new collection of bowls from Amy Jackson of Stoke on Trent, and from the Welsh coast, we welcome Tideline Ceramics. And back by popular demand are Charlotte Cadzow’s wave and splash mugs, from nearby North Berwick.
by Andrew Major
by Amy Jackson
Seeking a quirky treasure? We’ve found those too! Kate Kelly brings her magical paper sculptures. Also drawing from the natural world is David Mayne’s oxidised steel sculptures and whimsical wonder is provided by Cat in the Shoe artist Lucy Brasher. Inspired by fables and folklore Lucy’s imaginative creatures, are created, from reclaimed and repurposed fabrics, so right up our street!
by Kate Kelly
by Cat in the Shoe
It promises to be quite the menagerie!
For inspired gifting, treats for yourself or stocking filler inspiration, come and enjoy our Winter showcase. You’ll be supporting a local gallery and small creative art businesses as well as finding something one of a kind!
Shop handmade,
Shop small
Shop Found!
For more details
T: 01368 863030
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After a hiatus in her arts practice, she is currently studying the Professional Development course at Paintbox Art School in Cockenzie. Living and working in Dunbar, her work is influenced by her surroundings and the changing seasonal colours and textures in the Scottish landscape. A 1999 graduate of the Scottish College of Textiles, her love of colour and texture are clearly visible. Working in acrylic and mixed media her work is created through many layers of paint and glazes, adding depth and interest to her paintings which she describes as abstract representations of scenes she has visited.
Eleanor often walks around the area with her dog Jess. (A whippet who I suspect also has pace!). Absorbing the landscape, it’s everchanging details, she fuses them into her artistic response. Tyninghame Fields 1 below, conveys the bare red earth in the fields over the Winter months and the green cabbage crops which so often grow around East Lothian. The hazy sky which appears regularly during the colder months is something which often features in Eleanor’s work. The textures in the fields have been built up using many layers of paint and glazes – applied with different thicknesses of brush strokes - using a variety of tools to manipulate and scrape back through the paint.
Describing her studio as ‘frenetic’, I’m in awe of her artistic output. The space is awash with work in various stages, sketches, experiments, and photographs serving as visual cues. There’s a sense she feels she’s making up for the fifteen years she wasn’t producing work.
“I keep thinking I'll slow down but it doesn't seem to happen!”.
I can understand. She’s deeply connected to her subject, energised by her process and her creativity clearly flowing.
Whilst engaged in producing work for the Borders Art Fair and a summer exhibition at Paintbox, she has just delivered new paintings for our Spring offering at Found.
The collection – a mix of landscapes and seascapes – have drawn inspiration from nearby Belhaven Bay and Whitesands. Her signature mark making and soothing palette, together with pops of pink, blue, yellow and green are a perfect nod to Spring. (All acrylic on wooden panel in various sizes, as detailed below.)
Whitesands in Spring 1
Acrylic on wooden panel
20 x 20cm (unframed size)
Finished with varnish & wax
Belhaven at Dusk 1
Acrylic on wooden panel
20x20cm (unframed size)
Finished with varnish and wax
Belhaven in Spring 1
Acrylic on wooden panel
20x20cm (unframed size)
Finished with varnish and wax
Despite such momentum, the paintings are calm, serene, and layered with a soft empathy for the landscape. As an artist wandering our shores and paths, her palette is poised and tranquil, mark making intuitive and her ‘way of seeing’ beautiful.
Whitesands in Spring 2
Acrylic on wooden panel
30 x 30cm (unframed size)
Finished with varnish & wax
Belhaven at Dusk 2
Acrylic on wooden panel
25x25cm (unframed size)
Finished with varnish & wax
Lost ground? Not a bit! Eleanor’s visual journey is fresh, evocative and I’m coming along!
Her latest collection can be seen at the gallery Monday – Saturday 10am -5pm. For more details, please contact amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
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Away from the stress of the everyday, here in the gallery all is calm, all is bright! Home of original and quirky finds, our festive showcase presents a unique offering you won’t find anywhere else.
In keeping with our Found ethos, we’ll be celebrating artists who re-use and upcycle materials. We welcome Claire Brierly, Scarlett Woodman and Betty pepper.
Claire Brierley
Scarlett Woodman
Betty Pepper
We love creations that have a story to tell and are delighted to introduce characterful sculptures from Tree Huggery, and carved wooden curiosities from Sophie Walker.
Showing their ceramics for the first time at Found are ECA graduate Nina Paloma and RCA artist Hayley Potter who are both inspired by the landscape and distil a sense of place and environment in their work.
Bringing the sparkle for magpies like me, is stunning new jewellery by Val Muddyman, Jo Bull and Helyne Jennings.
Val Muddyman
Jo Bull
Helyne Jennings
And for our walls, we have a beautiful offering of local artwork with paintings from Rebecca Dover, Alan Richmond, Rachel Marshall and Eleanor Cunningham.
Rachel Marshall
For inspired gifting, treats for yourself or simply a moment of calm, come and enjoy our Winter showcase. You’ll be supporting a local gallery and small creative art businesses as well as finding something special.
Shop handmade,
Shop small
Shop Found!
For more details
T: 01368 863030
E: amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
]]>Upcycled materials – check.
Made in Scotland – check.
A great Story – absolutely!
And the latest find for Found is, Ocean Plastic Pots.
My check list for sourcing cool new stuff was scoring high when I was introduced to this fantastic venture by a friend. One of our key aims here at Found is to support makers who re-use and upcycle as part of their work. Ally Mitchell’s ground breaking concept, reclaims end of life rope and fishing net combines them with collected beach plastic and turns them into beautiful functional pots. As an environmentally conscious curator I was sold! Here’s his story…
Ocean Plastic Pots is inspired by Ally’s passion and determination to help turn the tide on the large volume of plastic found in our seas, causing grave harm to the future of our planet.
As a commercial diver having worked across the world from the Ivory Coast to Singapore and Europe, Ally has experienced first hand, the detrimental impact plastic waste is having on our oceans and marine life.
It is estimated 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans ever year, a terrifying amount.
In December 2019 a whale washed up on Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris. It had 100kg of rope, fishing net and plastic debris inside of it. Three months later Ally found himself working as a diver on the salvage of the MV Kaami. It had hit a reef only 20km from the very same beach where the whale had washed up. This job was the catalyst behind Ocean Plastic Pots.
The ship was carrying 1937 tons of palletised refuse derived fuel (shredded plastic) to be incinerated. Diving in this amount of refuse and seeing the impact of plastic waste on our marine life inspired Ally. He taught himself some basic, manufacturing techniques and started making plant pots from plastic he picked off the beach as well as discarded ropes and fishing net. All this was done from his home in Glasgow.
Photograph by Nick Mailer @foto_nick
The pots themselves although durable and built to last can also be recycled again, creating a circular economy.
Eight months later the father of two has gone from making small pots himself and selling them at a local food market in Edinburgh to securing a manufacturer in Scotland to produce larger pots on a much bigger scale to meet demand.
Designed in Glasgow and made in Scotland, Ocean Plastic Pots is planting the seed to encourage more of us to reduce the amount of plastic we use on a daily basis and in turn protect our planet and our future.
I’m thrilled to be selling these in the gallery. And just in time for some spring planting!
You can see them featured in the gallery window at the moment, and they are available to buy online at
https://www.thefoundgallery.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/ocean-plastic-pots
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A survey for artists, makers and creatives! What does your new normal look like now?
Hello from hibernation! I hope this finds you well.
Here at Found, we’re in the process of getting the gallery ready for spring, and (fingers crossed) opening our doors to the public again. I've been chatting with many of our makers and artists to get a feel for what life looks like in your studio now, and how you are reaching your market in these new times. My studio has turned into a classroom, with craft projects and dried up pritt sticks on my workbench!!
Coronavirus has affected just about every corner of our lives, and I’m keen to hear your thoughts and plans, and share my findings. To that end I’ve written a survey to get a feel for what the road ahead looks like in our sector. It’s not super long or in depth, and your response can be anonymous. If you would take five minutes, over a coffee to complete I’d be most grateful.
Please share far and wide!
Crafting the Road Ahead
https://forms.gle/7TT1iwtV6vu7HNBT8
(The proper bit. Please note that all personal data will be processed in accordance with the principles of good information handling contained in the Data Protection Act 1998 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. We will not sell this information to any other persons or organisations, and you will receive no marketing material as a result of completing this questionnaire.)
Hope the start of the year is treating you kindly and re-charging your creativity.
With Thanks,
Amy
found
01368 863030
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Jenny Capon
Emily Ingrey-Counter
Lilly Reid
Kate Millbank
Robert Pereira Hind
Emma Leonard
So whether it's artwork, jewellery, ceramics, handmade decorations or that unique gift that you'll struggle to keep a secret until the big day, we'll help you find what you're looking for. Opens Saturday 7 November. This year we’ll also be giving you a virtual tour Found, and launching our click and collect, gift wrap service. If you’d prefer to shop from home, there will be a selection available through our online shop and we’ll also be offering private in-store shopping appointments. Please drop us a message for details!
Shop handmade,
Shop small
Shop Found!
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After studying painting at Edinburgh College of Art Cameron regularly finds his way to Dunbar.
“The two paintings were made whilst I stayed at my sisters house in Dunbar. I have always loved Dunbar. I visit a few times a year and its impossible to not want to paint there. The first time I stayed I sat by a window looking down onto the high street and filled a sketchbook in a day just drawing people. I always wanted to tackle the high street and this past visit I had a few weeks and the keys to my sisters shed to make a mess in.”
The ‘mess’ turned out pretty well and resulted in these two wonderful pieces, which are in the gallery window. Fresh and vibrant, the works are a wonderfully evocative snapshot of life here in Dunbar. What makes him tick? I asked a few random questions to find out…
I do like a bit of silence, I find when music is playing it either brings me down or pumps me up too much. I like a audio book though. The best thing I heard recently was the Beastie Boys audio book.
Exhibitions are always memorable because you work in a vacuum for god knows how long, going slightly crazy, and then suddenly you meet people and hear all kinds of fresh takes on your work. Its quite hard knowing you will never see your paintings again but Its quite nice knowing there are people with my works on the walls eating spaghetti with there friends talking about a picture I made.
Finishing a painting. I don’t find painting all that relaxing. Cleaning brushes, mixing paint, spilling turps, making mistakes, getting paint everywhere, its can be a stress. Usually when a painting is coming to a end it happens in a very short space of time without much warning, the stars align and suddenly it doesn't look ugly anymore, that is the only cathartic part for me, stepping back.
I’m quite old school, I buy the same things, white spirit, five or six tubes of paint, maybe a palette knife or a few brushes, I'm not kind to my brushes.
Like Francis Bacon’s
have children.
Its finished!!!
Delighted to be showing these paintings at Found. Any queries, you can contact me at amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk or on 01368 863030.
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As a curator I’m pretty nosey! I love a poke around an artist’s studio, and relish a glimpse at a sketchbook, and peep in a toolbox. I’ve always been intrigued by process – the how, where and why a piece of artwork has been created – the story of it’s journey.
So imagine my intrigue, as I help unload Paul Bartlett’s artwork from his campervan one windy morning. Nestled amongst his artwork, there’s a surfboard, a trail bike, and his companion for the weekend, Corrie the dog. My curiosity is very keen!
Inside we unwrap the frames and he tells me about the ‘how’. Paul reveals a series of mixed media pieces, which use collage and papier mache together with acrylics to create beautiful wildlife portraits. They are stunning, quirky, characterful and made from old RSPB magazines. Torn, not cut! Selectively mixing ripped portions from his huge stash of publications with wallpaper paste he initially blocks out his subject before colouring. His signature backgrounds comprise hundreds of slivers of magazine text. At first glance it looks random, the pieces placed in a flurry of energy. It’s anything but. Closer inspection reveals a considered and delicate approach, which engages the viewer in the detail of the aptly chosen snippets of text. This commitment to detail leads me to the where…
Paul is a self-taught artist with a PhD in animal behaviour. It’s no surprise he has a passion for nature and wild environments, and this is intrinsic to the work he creates. His pieces are conceived outdoors, the result of field trips and exploring remote places. He recounts a trip where so at one with his subject, a puffin ran off with his pencil! Their cheeky character clearly resonates in the finished pieces, which are brought to life in his garden studio in Tayport on the East coast of Scotland. Described as his “happy place”, you’ll find Paul there most mornings, after the school run, dog walk, with tea in hand, ready to rip!
Thus, his distinctive & unique style has awarded him many accolades. Previously an elected member of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) he won “Artist of the Year” in 2006 and the Langford Press award in 2012 at their annual exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries. He has twice been a category winner and overall runner-up in the David Shepherd “Wildlife Artist of the Year” competition in 2009 and 2010 and winner of the ‘British Birds’ category for the “BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year” in 2009.
But more than that, it has afforded Paul a lifestyle; combining many of his passions, which he has successfully woven into his true vocation. In addition to exploring by land and sea he also flies voluntarily for the SCRAPbook project which aims to map the coastal litter of Scotland with a view to then clearing it up.
Immersed in his subject, he has become a master of his process. An ecological mindfulness runs throughout. Conservation and sustainability are the core of the RSPB message. There is a holistic nod to our environment in the cyclical way Paul’s raw material has been read, then recycled in further comment on the fragility of wildlife and our Earth. Any excess paper mache Paul shapes into bricks for his stove. Nothing is wasted. Paul’s story is one of integrity.
His work is fresh, superbly executed and conceptually embodies his outlook and values. It’s also very beautiful!
And that is how this wonderful artwork came to be!
A selection of Paul’s original work and prints are on show at Found this spring. For any further info please contact amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
Flushed from Cover, Framed original, £395
Scratch, Ltd edition print, Un-framed £80
Great Tit, Framed original, £350
Follow the Line, Framed original, £1250
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Nope! It’s not the title of an emerging art house film, but our fundraising project to coincide with Dunbar’s annual Lifeboat Day.
Here at the Found Gallery in Dunbar, we showcase work by many talented artists who are inspired by the British coast. Two of our favourites, are busy creating RNLI themed pieces for our forthcoming charity auction.
Suffolk born artists Seth Draper and Joe Lawrence have joined up with Found to offer an exclusive chance to bid on their Lifeboat inspired creations. Both artists and the gallery will be donating 50% of the proceeds of their work to the RNLI station in Dunbar.
A previous work by Seth which was auctioned for RNLI in Wales
Joe, a ceramic artist who lives in Suffolk will be showing his amazing ability to capture the character of a rugged lifeboat man in ceramic, something which he usually does with great skill to fishermen and beachcombers alike.
Seth, a mixed media sculptor, uses found and recycled objects to create his masterpieces will be creating a Lifeboat sculpture to accompany the lifeboat man. Both pieces will be auctioned separately to coincide with the RNLI Dunbar Lifeboat Day on July 14th 2018.
The Found Gallery will be hosting and supporting this auction and will have a craft-filled day of fun for the whole family in our beautiful harbor town, as well as our seasonal offering of British Arts and Crafts.
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Lifeboats have been launching from Dunbar harbour for over 200 years and provide, an on call, 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service. The Dunbar station operates two lifeboats – an inshore D class and an all-weather Trent class lifeboat. The dedicated crew, provide a lifesaving service using volunteers wherever possible, with voluntary donations supplying the funds needed to do so. And so, it seemed most fitting that our charity auction - by two artists and a gallery - support the Dunbar Lifeboat.
Bids will need to be submitted to them via phone, email or in person at the Found Gallery, 84 High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JH.
www.thefoundgallery.co.uk
Details to follow and for more information please contact the gallery on 01368 863030, or Amy direct on amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
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Jack Frost I , 20 x 20" Framed £600
Like many good finds, I happened upon the work of Bill Zima while ‘coffee browsing’ online one morning. Attracted by the graphic quality and the relationship between the strength of his work and the fragility of his subject, I floated off, just like a leaf.
Plectranthus edulis, 36 x 30", Framed £1250
Born in 1961 in a small town in Indiana, Bill studied fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He spent a year abroad, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, cultivating his practical skills whilst studying under the “stone-carving master of Europe”.
After graduating in 1990 Bill spend the next year perfecting encaustic painting, having been introduced to the material of beeswax in his final year of study. He was immediately drawn to the tactility and translucence of the medium and the romanticism of the surfaces. Early pieces saw him collect the remains of the stone carvings, the stone dust, and mix it with wax to create ethereal figurative pieces. The encaustic imagery evolved to abstraction and eventually took the form of minimalist color field paintings. His technique was unique and took seven years to develop the laborious encaustic process.
In 2003 Bill moved to Spain with his family and took a hiatus from the ‘exhibition circuit’, choosing to explore and develop new creative directions to reflect the extraordinary experience of living abroad. Visual vocabulary was refined and expression was explored using patterns to build up an image.
Bill then moved to Edinburgh in 2007 where he currently lives with his family. The landscape took Bill back to the very earliest drawings he had done as a three year old…this re-connection inspired the current bodies of work - Leaves and trees.
There’s always much more to an artist than their formal Bio though which is why I enjoy nothing more than a studio visit…
It was walking in to Bill’s studio, that the powerful scale of his work struck me. Visually impressive from afar his pieces pull the viewer in where the subtleties and complexities of the incredible detail are revealed. The work is deeply fascinating and truly engaging. The keen macro photographer in me, moving around the work as if to define my own optimum focal length!
So with a collection of original work and prints, what better focus for our woodland themed seasonal show. Here is a small selection of Bills work and our Winter show runs until the end of January 2018.
Wind Jammer Way, 20 x 20" Framed £600
Selection of 12 x 10" Prints - Framed £95, unframed £75
Available as 12 x 10" Print Framed £95 & unframed £75
Starry Night, 30 x 30" Framed £1000
For further details please contact amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
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Today is blast off – the new Zero Waste Dunbar Hub opened this morning Monday 23rd October, and it looks fabulous!
The brainchild of Found partner Simon Glover (my honey!) and Sue Guy, the pair have created a re-use Hub that encapsulates their progressive and ambitious vision. Continuing the Zero Waste Dunbar Pilot, their company Miixer CIC, was born with the aim to divert tonnes of waste from landfill for community benefit. They sell quality items cheaply to our local communities, donate to local groups and charities, and support those in need with free goods. They have already opened a pop up Shop in Musselburgh, and their innovative clothing initiative "Big Pick", aims to eradicate clothing poverty in our County.
As many Found fans will know Simon loves a great salvage find. It was many years ago while sourcing materials for gallery displays and helping makers find the “right bit of wood” that a seed was sown. With the concept of connecting people with ‘stuff’ the company aims to facilitate local access to local waste; to develop and support opportunities for makers, entrepreneurs, teachers, and anyone else that wants to take advantage of quality stuff that would otherwise have been buried or burnt.
Walking through the industrial themed space it’s quite an eye opener that everything here is someone’s ‘waste’. It’s a eclectic mix of furniture, clothing, toys, home wares, nuts, bolts, tools and scrap materials presented in a funky style that’s more akin to a hip London warehouse than the local recycling centre. Second hand shop this aint!
Miixer is an acronym for make, innovate, incubate, extend, educate, reuse. With two shops now open the stage is set for the project to grow and these are the divisions they would like to develop. Creatives, c’mon down! Whether you’re looking for materials, project ideas, or looking to collaborate there is inspiration a plenty.
A simple idea, this is a gem of a concept that is a stepping-stone towards promoting a local circular economy and challenges us all to consider what we do with our unwanted items. Expect to be amazed, expect to spend way longer treasure hunting than you’d anticipated and expect to feel great; because whether you’re donating, buying, or volunteering, you will be supporting a wonderful socially responsible project in the heart of Dunbar.
For more info please visit www.miixer.org
Zero Waste Hub is open Mon - Sat 9 - 5pm and Sun 12 - 4pm
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Our feathered friends are a recurring theme here at Found with artists from all over the UK inspired by a huge variety of species and their environment. Only a few miles from the Scottish Seabird Centre, Dunbar attracts large number of twitchers and photographers. No surprise then that birds whether sculpted, painted or crafted birds are always a popular find at Found. Here’s a little peep at what you can spot in the gallery this summer.
Puffin
Fratercula arctica (Atlantic puffin)
Often called the ‘clown of the sea’ the puffin is an unmistakable seabird with a black back and white underparts, distinctive black head with large pale cheeks and brightly-coloured bill. The Isle of May in the Firth of Forth is home to the biggest colony on the East Coast of Britain.
Print by Rachel Marshall £60
Ceramics by Guy Holder £56
Card & Print by Joanna Martin £3/140
Gannet
Morus bassanus
Gannets are Britain’s largest seabird and Scotland is home to around 60% of Europe’s gannets. From February gannets return to the Bass Rock: numbers peak at over 150,000 making it the world's largest colony of Northern gannets. At sea they flap and then glide low over the water, often travelling in small groups. They feed by flying high and circling before plunging into the sea, at speeds of up to 60mph/ 96kmph.
A Company of Gannets Card by Lisa Hooper £2.50
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
One of the best places to spot them is Dunbar Harbour! A gentle looking, medium-sized gull, kittiwakes have a small yellow bill, dark eye, grey back and white underneath: their little legs are short and black. In flight, the black wing-tips show no white, unlike other gulls, and look as if they have been 'dipped in ink'.
Acrylic on reclaimed board £70
Guillemot
Uria aalge
The UK’s coasts have many stretches of sheer cliffs where seabirds breed and the guillemot is one of the most prevalent birds in the great ‘seabird cities’. They land only to nest, spending the rest of the time life at sea. The egg is cone-shaped helping to prevent it rolling off the cliff!
Unframed Print by Joanna Martin £140
Ceramic by Guy Holder £70
Herrring Gull
Larus argentatus
Love them or loath them, herring gulls are widespread and can be seen in most seaside towns. They are large noisy gulls, and we have the pleasure of two chicks on our roof at the moment!
Card by Rachel Marshall £3
Ceramic Seagull by Joe Lawrence £40
Felted in England Birds £41 each
Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
Breeding on almost all Uk coasts the oystercatcher is a large, stocky, black and white wading bird. It has a long, orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs.
Framed Ltd edition print by Joanna Martin £180
Acrylic on reclaimed board by Steven Ferguson £85
And others…
Necklace by Helen Shere £89
Silver studs by Kate Wimbush £28
Print by Mary Claire Smith £95
Coal Tit Unframed Print by Benjamin Partridge £30
Mosaic by Helen Clues £16
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Seth will be exhibiting his coastal inspired artwork for the first time in Scotland this summer. Echoing the golden days of British fishing Seth’s quirky fishing boats will be following the fleet up to the Found Gallery here in the harbour town of Dunbar.
Seth’s artwork is created using a selection of recycled objects such as old baked bean tins, driftwood and various other found objects, his largest piece for this exhibition even incorporates an old garden rake. The inspiration comes from anything with a coastal flavour, but focusses on fishing boats, harbour scenes and beach huts. The recycled tins are beaten flat and then cut and soldered before being painted and given an aged patina. They are then completed with driftwood and the finer details for which his work is becoming so revered.
In Seth, Found has found another kindred spirit and his fishing fleet are here for the summer season. Come see them @thefoundgallery before they sail away!
]]>Golden Sands 31/75 Framed 16 x 16cm £180
Louise Davies is a professional artist and a member of the RE – the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. She graduated with a Fine Art Degree from St Martins and then completed an M.A. in Printmaking from Camberwell College of Art in London.
I’m not normally drawn to yellow but there is something captivating about her ‘Golden Sands’ print. It’s abstract in feel but her delicate use of line and vibrant colour, conveys a fluid and atmospheric landscape. It’s minimal, but with sketch like detail that I love.
detail from Golden Sands
Being a nosey sort of creature I’m always fascinated where and how, such wonderful work is created. Louise indulged me with some pictures and answered my random questions. Here’s what I found…
I share my studio with my friend Gail and we have radio 2 playing!
That has got to be my Degree Show at college where I made my first few sales. At that stage, I was just a young art student and never believed I could sell my work.
Apart from sitting down and chatting over a cup of tea..................it has seriously got to be when you pull the proof off your etching press and realise ‘ Yes this print is working now! ‘
Intending to buy some new canvasses as I need to get more Painting done.
I am most looking forward to my Solo Show at Zillah Bell in Yorkshire. I will be showing Paintings and Prints. I just spent a weekend in Yorkshire and did some sketching in preparation to making some new work of the Yorkshire Moors.
Here’s a selection of Louise’s work currently showing in the gallery. Please email me at amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk with any queries.
Country Hedgerows 7/75 Framed 20 x 25cm £230
Distant Hills 4/75 Unframed Print 30 x 30cm £250
Red Meadows 10/75 Framed 20 x 25cm £230
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So says Dan Rawlings. A self taught artist who works with recycled tools and materials, cutting and carving them a new life.
Intricate, inventive and stunningly beautiful! I felt like a child at Christmas tearing the packaging off his creations when then arrived at Found. Such was my excitement to see his hand cut rusty saws, which he creates in rural Gloucestershire.
Using a variety of tools including a hand held plasma torch, files, grinders, scalpels, welders, etching chemicals and paints he tries to create images that remind people of the moments when everything seems possible and free; times when climbing a tree, or sitting admiring the way its branches twist and curl means nothing, but means everything.
Dan enjoys using sentimental objects such as old tools and farm equipment. For him they bring to mind a time when things were simpler, not easier, but the concerns of everyday people were fundamental and shared. These objects of great craftsmanship and beauty also carry a poignant message.
They convey his belief and concern about climate change - that rather than acting, we seem to be looking the other way. By using cast away items of once great value to conjure memories or depict nature’s beauty, he aims to convince people that what we should value is the existing, not to wish it away with dreams of material possessions.
And so I stood in admiration these wonderful tree studies. Fascinating and magical, Dan Rawlings is a truly talented sculptor.
Saws and hand carved wood block prints in the gallery now. If you’d like any more details please email Amy on amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
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Following a move to Carmarthenshire in 2004, the landscape of the countryside and coastline motivated Jan to pursue a career in Ceramics. Now walks along the rugged cliff tops of the coastal path of Pembrokeshire inspire her work.
She enjoys experimenting with form, lava glazes and reactive slips often comparing patterns and surfaces through multiple firings to compliment the simple forms and clean lines. She likes to think of her pots as pieces of art you can hold in your hands, bringing you some of the serenity and peace that she finds when walking along the shore and coastal paths.
Gorgeous range in the gallery from £35.
Any queries drop us a line at amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
]]>Derek Jones and I share a love of coffee. Freshly ground, black and usually accompanied by something very sweet. Today, as he’s preparing our morning fix, he’s left me alone in his studio.
For a moment it feels like a sanctuary and I soak up the lovely sense of calm. The light is diffused and my gaze drifts over a wealth of drawings pinned to every surface. Portraits in their dozens engage and captivate me; each one a testament to the intimate moment shared by artist and model. I slowly absorb the scribbled notes, swift sketches and colour swatches amidst a sea of brushes, pastels, gouache tubes and conte crayons. I feel energy.
Fascinated by eyes, lips and breasts, it is the way in which light falls upon flesh that informs Derek’s drawing. These tokens of sensuality have inspired a continual search, which threads through his work like a companion on a journey. As we indulge in a Sumatran roast, he alludes to the importance of personal reflection of his work as a catalyst for direction.
Throughout his career, he has strived to convey the sensuality of his model through the surface marks he makes. His search has thus far been realized in a huge catalogue of work across many mediums and various techniques. He has amassed not only a vast archive of material, but also a wealth of admirers and collectors.
After studying Fine Art at Newcastle, and working in the museum service and education, Derek has exhibited nationally and Internationally for over forty five years.
And still he is “always looking”. I’m drawn to a hand written quote tacked to the wall.
“One must still have chaos in oneself, to be able to give birth to a dancing star”. Nietzche
We speak of his “uncomfortable state” while drawing and the process by which he engages his paper with a sense he will make a mess from which to work his way out of. Each sitting becomes a challenge to express his fascination with the intrinsic offerings of femininity. The words of Friedrich Nietzsche clearly resonate
It would be fair to say that Derek Jones is a perfectionist, afflicted by a brutal introspection. I propose his pointed self-criticism may in fact be one of his best qualities and in a rare moment of ease, says of his recent work
“It’s starting to get there…”.
I’m doubtful Derek will ever reach a final destination, but his continual search is testament to his passion and dedication. Derek is working towards a solo show with us later in the year and is currently embracing digital technologies as part of his process. He chats with the quiet assurance of an artist at the top of his game. Thoughts are percolating! With every muse, a quirk ignites a fascination, and a new journey begins. I’m more than excited to be presenting his work at Found. And just like his coffee, the work promises to be fresh, intense and deeply engaging.
Derek Jones, a solo show, opens at the Found Gallery, 84 high St, Dunbar, East Lothian, Eh42 1JH on 24th September and runs until the 8th October.
For any further information please contact Amy at the gallery on 01368 863030 or amy@thefoundgallery.co.uk
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From Leeds originally Hannah found great inspiration in the Welsh countryside when she studied 'Crafts' at Carmarthen college and later in the fields and woodlands around Laugharne. She has now settled with her family in Hebden Bridge.
Hannah's pretty paper cut table lamps come in four shapes and sizes, in a variety of designs inspired by nature , all with 2m white cable, inline switch and take a 40w bulb. What more could you ask? ... well how about a tiny glowing version of her lamps in the form of a candle cover with glass votive for a tea light candle! Don't say we're not good to you!
]]>One of our artists Jayne Stokes has made it through to the final round of the Sunday Times Watercolour competition with this piece "Roadtrip Relics". We've got several of Jaynes paintings in stock at the moment and every time we receive one of Jayne's multi aperture mixed media paintings it disappears almost immediately. We have one at the moment featuring scenes around Dunbar - come see it before it goes!
Best of luck from everyone at the gallery Jayne X
]]>Jackie Needham Terracotta Hare £180 (only available in the gallery)
Mark Hearld's marvellous fold out cards £3.95
More wonderful work from Jackie
Suzanne Breakwell Torn Paper Sculpture
Ellymental
Joanna Coupland, papier mache Queen
Moon gazing Hare necklace by Linda Lovatt
Hessian Hare by Julia Levander (available to order £230)
"You looking at me!" Emma Cocker's bunny (available to order)
We've plenty of prints too but we'll let you come and browse in person, don't want to spoil all the surprises!
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I’ve had the pleasure of knowing artist Derek Jones for a few years now. We have exhibited his work on several occasions, and he has become a firm favourite in Found. A figure painter based in the Scottish Borders, Derek works either in charcoal or a mix of pastel and acrylic.
Today I’m visiting him to sit for a portrait. It’s in preparation for an event we are holding in the gallery as part of the Dunbar Street Art Trail. Derek will be demonstrating his superb life drawing in the gallery, and I am his slightly unnerved subject! It seems I am not alone though, as Derek does not usually work with an audience - his participation, has been incentivized by machiato’s and flapjacks!
So I take my seat, and what begins is a relaxed conversation that travels through politics, local restaurants, price of framing, Scandinavian musicians and psychology. I’m intrigued by the relationship between an artist and his subject, and what makes a muse. For him, chemistry and the emotion conveyed from the model are paramount. He is particularly drawn to messages conveyed through the eyes and the lips. He tells me quirks are fascinating, and often the hook that results in him working with a particular model time and time again. My squinty nose should be fine then!
This morning, the mood is calm and Derek’s initial broad sweeping strokes become more contemplative. The energy around and between us changes. As we both drift off, I’m only vaguely aware I’m being observed. It’s a very calming and somewhat meditative experience. I loose all track of time… It’s very still. After what may have been an hour or two Derek signs the piece. This small but symbolic act signifies him finished. He won’t make any more adjustments as if the moment and drawing has been fixed in time.
He tells me later that like most of his pieces he likes to “make a mess, then get myself out of it”. It seems a very daring approach, but you only have to look around Derek’s studio to see its’ success. If his working approach is to journey his way out of chaos, then wow!
Looking around his works’ are engaging, alive and fresh. The room has an incredible energy as the eyes from so many portraits project out. It’s a fascinating insight into the man and his working.
Amy
Here are some snaps from my morning…
Derek is always looking for new models to work with and having sat for him I can thoroughly recommend the experience. Don't be put off if you're not a conventional stick thin model type, Derek likes working with real women with curves and the word "Rubenesque" was used when describing the sort of ideal model. Please contact him for more details at derek.jones_art@btinterent.com
Let us know how you get on :-)
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