State of the art
Whether you have a penchant for old knick-knacks, enjoy a spot of gallery browsing or want to test your artistic skills, Perthshire offers it all, finds Rosie Morton
To say that we are fortunate living in such an historic country would be a gross understatement. There is something undeniably charming about walking through its cobbled old streets, seeing dates carefully carved above doorways, or hearing an ancient tale from yesteryear. These age-old landscapes, crafts and traditions have served as artistic inspiration for generations. Perthshire, often considered the gateway to the Highlands, is an exceptional example of this – with the River Tay flowing through its countryside, along with its rich heritage, it is no surprise that it has become a pillar of Scotland’s art and antiques scene. Home to countless galleries and Aladdin’s caves, an autumn break in this region is sure to appeal to the magpies among us.
Whether you need a trinket to finish your mantlepiece display, a few copper pans to hang in your kitchen, or just want to rifle through old paintings, books and antiques, there is an abundance of antiques centres to visit – even better, many of them are within a few hundred metres of one another. Rait Antiques Centre, based in the Sidlaw Foothills, was once a working farm. Converted in 1983 to house one small antiques shop, it has since developed into a large-scale centre accommodating 18 local antiques dealers. Each of the centre’s buildings have maintained their original farm house names – from the Turnip Shed to the Mill Room, every corner holds a deep-rooted history of its own. ( www.raitantiquescentre.co.uk)
Among the 18 dealers is Carse Antiques and Restorations which is housed in the Mill Room. Proprietor Andrew Stephens has a wealth of antiques knowledge – not only has he spent his entire working life in the antiques and restoration industry, he can also trace family members in the antiques business as far back as 1854. ( www.carseantiques.co.uk)
Gemaware – The Old Sawmill Antiques is a stand-alone shop that is also part of Rait Antiques Centre. They specialise in period Oriental wares including furniture and ceramics, but also stock a collection of British furniture. ( www.antiques-atlas.com/gemaware)
From there, you can take a 15-minute drive – just enough time to convince yourself that you do really need to go back and buy that Georgian burr elm tea caddie – to the Scottish Antique and Arts Centre in Abernyte. Brimming with antiques, furniture and home accessories, as well as a ladies clothing section, a café and food hall, there is boundless entertainment for those looking for a leisurely afternoon shopping trip. ( www.scottish-antiques.com)
As far as autumn breaks go, electing to go on an antiques trip is surely the best excuse to spend a little time shopping. This November, from Friday 9 to Sunday 11, the Galloway Antiques Fair is set to return to the tranquil estate of Scone Palace. Having run for over 23 years, the fair offers the ideal opportunity to peruse antique collections from across the UK.
Susan Galloway, organiser of the fair, said: ‘We’ve got dealers coming from Kent, Sussex, Yorkshire, and Lancashire, as well as many Scottish dealers. There will be 40 lorry-loads of beautiful antiques and fine art to see.’
Encouraging experts and first-time antique buyers to come along, she added: ‘We’ve had so many people over the years coming to the fair that didn’t really know about antiques beforehand, but they’ve left with a great interest in the trade. It’s such a great occasion – it gets all the dealers together in one place and makes for a great shopping experience.’ Guests are free to roam the historic palace grounds which date back to the
“These age old landscapes, crafts and traditions have served as artistic inspiration
1800s, and there will be a tearoom for that all-important brew. ( scone-palace.co.uk)
If your autumn break is to adopt a more contemporary feel, scouring Perthshire’s art galleries is something to consider. Taking a relaxed drive from northern to southern Perthshire is a delightful journey in itself, not least for its spectacular scenery.
Why not break up the drive at the House of Bruar Gallery, or the Atholl, Aberfeldy, Ruthven or Fergusson Galleries? The gallery at the House of Bruar is home to a carefully curated selection of wildlife art including some stunning animal sculptures, as well as many striking Scottish landscape paintings. ( www.thehouseofbruar.com)
The Atholl Gallery in Dunkeld hosts exhibitions throughout the year, showcasing some of Scotland’s finest and emerging talent, and sells exquisite modern art. Ranging from metalwork and sculptures, to paintings, prints, ceramics and mosaics, the 30-year-old gallery beautifully frames Scotland’s art scene. ( www.scottishart.co.uk)
This year also sees the return of Perthshire’s Open Studios event from 1 to 9 September. Building on the success of the past 11 years, the nine-day event allows visitors to see local artists and makers at work in their studios across Perthshire and Kinross-Shire. ( www. perthshireopenstudios.com)
Alternatively, you can try your hand at making your own arts and crafts. At Special Branch Baskets, Jane Wilkinson teaches traditional craft – mini courses for up to eight people, showing you how to make willow coracles, baskets and fencing. From 19 to 21 October, she is running a hedgerow basketry course. ( www.specialbranchbaskets.com) The Workshop is another popular place for honing artistic skills, offering weekend workshops in clay sculpting, as well as longer nine-week courses. Whether you want a relaxed weekend or to learn a new skill, the classes cater for all needs. Julian Jardine, owner of The Workshop, said: ‘A lot of places that offer clay activities provide you with a pre-fired piece of clay, or factory-made plates, mugs and cups that you simply go and paint. When people come to us, they’re excited because they are involved in the whole process. They actually make the cup by hand, they learn to sculpt things.’
Julian and his colleagues are delighted to welcome people of all abilities. He added: ‘For a lot of people, it’s about coming with very little artistic experience and going away with an end product they can be proud of. The idea with the weekend workshops is that people who maybe don’t live locally can come and book into a local bed and breakfast or hotel, and then spend the weekend here. It’s about bringing people here and trying to engage them with the area.’ ( www.theworkshopperth.co.uk)
Visiting Perthshire is not just an opportunity to recuperate in a serene countryside setting, it is a true haven for artistic minds. As an area bursting with history and creativity, it is well worth taking the time to uncover its antique gems and fine contemporary art.
“It’s about bringing people here and trying to engage them with the area