Mitchison’s artistic vision brought to life
In 1960, author and life-long socialist, Naomi Mitchison, came up with the novel idea for bringing fine art to children in so-called ‘remote’ areas across the huge area covered by Argyll County Council.
I first came across the concept years ago when a teacher at Dunoon Grammar told me there was a Joan Eardley painting hanging in the school. Now, thanks to brilliant work being done by an organisation called Culture, Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS), a new exhibition, Awaken, The Argyll Collection, at Dunoon Burgh Hall puts the story front, left and centre. This moveable collection contains 179 artworks, collected between 1960 and 1990. Those featured include Eardley, Alan Davie, Anne Redpath, Will Mclean, Robert Macbryde, Elizabeth Blackadder, Robin Philipson, and Barbara Rae. It is located throughout Argyll and Bute, with artworks in 13 schools and two libraries. Awaken has been curated by 18-yearold Lily Vaughan, a trainee with CHARTS, who has worked with the team since the start of the year to develop the show which includes paintings by David Donaldson, Edward Gage, Agnes Parker Miller and Archibald Dunbar Mcintosh. Mitchison, who was an Argyll county councillor for many years, wrote about building up a collection for Argyll school children, who ‘have very little chance of visiting art galleries’. She worked closely with T. G. Henderson, Director of Education for Argyll County Council, and Jim Tyre, Art Advisor for the council. Jim is the unsung hero here as he, together with Mitchison, scoured exhibitions and galleries, often buying directly from artists, rarely paying more than £100 on purchases. Tyre travelled across Argyll, enthusing all about the collection. As Mitchison wrote in 1986: “Jim comes along with his pictures, hangs them, talks about them… and works his magic, leaving a fresh breeze of new ideas.” Awaken, The Argyll Collection is at Dunoon Burgh Hall until 28 April. Admission free.