Exhibition to mark retiral
Honouring Smith director
Work by a Dunblane artist is to go on display from this weekend – despite one of her pieces being stolen.
The exhibition of Iona Leishman’s work marks the retirement of long–standing director of the Smith Art Gallery and Museum Dr Elspeth King.
Iona’s solo exhibition, `The Windings of the Forth’, features an array of work depicting the river and opens Saturday.
However, one of the pieces, valued at £600, which had been earmarked for the exhibition was taken from Iona’s studio at the Cowane Centre in June in circumstances that remain a mystery. Police carried out an investigation.
Inspector Mark Murphy, of Stirling Police Station said: “The theft of this painting is depriving the artist of her living and we are keen to recover it and return it to her.
“Anyone who has information is asked to contact us via 101 quoting incident number 3261 of June 14.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming exhibition, Iona said: “The show represents the many ways in which I paint. Some paintings are of instantly-recognisable local views, some are what I call notes from the riverbank, others graphically show the elegant twists of the river as it winds its way across the carse from its rising in the Trossachs.
“And then there are historically imagined scenes, echoes of the numerous battles and encounters that Stirling and her river have witnessed over the centuries; in particular, the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.”
Dr King said: “The River Forth is one of the great iconic rivers of Europe, yet since it was first closed to public traffic at Stirling by the needs of the Great War in 1914, we have turned our backs on the river, forgetting its place in our history and culture. This exhibition focuses on its past history and present beauty, opening up discussion on the future potential and power of the river.
“I could not have asked for a finer exhibition to end my time at the Smith”.
Iona was Historic Environment Scotland’s first artist in residence in Stirling Castle, the first visual artist there for 400 years.
Her `Windings of the Forth’ exhibition will also feature a number of paintings from the Smith’s own permanent collection; creative garden riverside design from Jayne Whitehead of Ivy Maud Design, mixed media paintings from Allan’s Primary School pupils and information about the River from the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative.
The exhibition continues until Sunday October 14 and admission is free.