Artists from Amble and Widdrington to showcase work at prestigious Edinburgh exhibition

Painters Gillian Lee-Smith from Widdrington and Luke McTaggart from Amble will show their work at the Annual Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour.

The exhibition, held at the Royal Scottish Academy galleries on Princes Street in Edinburgh, runs from January 13 to February 6.

Gillian’s evocative mixed-media piece is inspired by the grounds of Belsay Hall.

She said: “I discovered the beautiful Belsay house, castle and quarry in 2021 and have been back many times. I sketch each time I am there and have become fascinated by the trees atop the quarry walls and the roots that have broken through the rock below.”

Indeed this isn’t the first time her piece has been the recipient of acclaim. The same painting was awarded first-prize at the 2023 iteration of the Annual Woodhorn Museum Open Exhibition.

Luke’s piece is a smaller work on paper, painted using gouache, an opaque form of watercolour paint. His piece depicts a subject much closer to home – quite literally. The painting depicts the view from the artist’s bedroom window.

He said: “I really just like to paint the things I have to hand, things that are by no means spectacular in a conventional sense, but that are special to me for their closeness, views I see everyday and that form part of my visual experience.

"I am very influenced by the French post-impressionist painters and the piece was inspired by the garden paintings of Edouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard.”