Ellon & District Art Group

Glengirnock, on the edge of the Cairngorms, is a quiet, unfrequented place, in contrast to it’s often overcrowded neighbour, Glenmuick. The little used track wends its way close to the burn up to the top of the glen, passing several disused cottages and the now abandoned Bovalgi farmhouse. Here, it opens out to reveal wonderful panoramic views. My painting, in acrylic, looks south towards Lochnagar. I enjoyed trying to create a feeling of tranquility and the impression of distant, snow clad hills.

This year, for the first time, we have produced a calendar, each month featuring a painting by one of our members.

January

The artist says the painting, in acrylic, is of Selva Gardena in the Italian Dolomites. There was still snow there in early June. It is one of her favourite areas where she spent many happy years climbing and skiing with her husband and daughter. It is a majestic landscape with beautiful mountain villages and, although part of Italy, the inhabitants are multi lingual, speaking German, Ladin and Italian. The Italians in this area were imported from southern Italy after the Second World war

2024 sessions finished with a delicious festive Christmas lunch at the Buchan hotel. With several new members to get to know, it was an excellent opportunity for socialising. The 2025 sessions begin on Thursday 9th January, when, weather permitting, we’ll be meeting as usual in the Kirk Centre at 10.30, when we look forward to welcoming any new members

After fears that autumn storms might, once again, ruin the exhibition, we were delighted that everything came together and we were able to show off our work at the Pheasantry. The rapidly deteriorating weather did necessitate an earlier than planned closing, but the number of visitors attending on the first two days ensured a reward for all the effort. A big thank you to all involved, especially those who rallied to dismantle everything, proving we’re not just a bunch of artists! Thanks also, to our most recent members, who produced some lovely work at a moments notice, even to the point, in one case of unpacking their house move to find it!

It’s always a pleasure walking in the beautiful grounds at Haddo, so, why not have a double dose of inspiration and come along to see our art on display, chat, be inspired, maybe think about joining the group and fulfilling your creative potential. We hope to see you there !

With a distinct autumnal feel in the air, we held the first of our autumn sessions today. It was good to see everyone again after the summer break and we are delighted to welcome two new members. Some members are involved with the North East Open Studios, and we have our exhibition at Haddo coming up next month, so, it’s a busy time.

This week is our last indoor session before the summer break. We will be meeting the following week for the annual summer lunch at the Buchan Hotel and then we have a series of outings planned over the summer to keep us on our artistic toes; a visit to Aberdeen Art Gallery, and painting and sketching ”en plein air” at Ellon Castle gardens and Haddo, with a lot of socialising thrown in.

Happy Holidays

Visitors to Saturday’s Wellbeing event in the Kirk centre were all very impressed by our display. There was a lovely, lively buzz with lots of information and people to chat with and exchange ideas.

Our display included comments that group members had contributed when asked for their reasons for joining EDAG. Here they are, a wide spectrum of ideas of what the group means for us:

Meet others and socialise,

Gain confidence in our own ability,

Enjoy the informality of the group,

Reconnect with our past skills and experiment with new mediums.

Escape from everyday worries.

Help others by being encouraging.

Something I always wanted to do but never thought I could until I joined.

Appreciate the diversity of artistic talent.

A way of turning my negatives into positives.

Companionship.

Share our work with the wider community.

Good for mental health and wellbeing.

Very relaxing and therapeutic.

Share ideas and learn from others.

Develop artistic skills.

Enjoy the informality of the group.