NOW OPEN: This August, we’re thrilled to open our latest exhibition: a vibrant and atmospheric pairing of works by Julie Smith and Bridget Hunter, two Scottish artists whose practices are deeply rooted in memory, resilience, and the beauty of the landscape.
Brought together by a shared love of Scotland’s wild places and a deeply personal connection to place, their joint exhibition invites visitors to explore the country through layers of light, texture, and lived experience.
Julie and Bridget first met through Open Studios Ayrshire. Julie’s distinctive, mixed media landscapes captivated Bridget, sparking a friendship that grew through studio visits and shared encouragement. Eventually, Bridget proposed a joint show - an idea that felt perfectly timed for both artists.
Though their approaches differ, their work speaks to one another in a quietly powerful way. Bridget’s floral still lifes, wild coastlines, and scenes of quiet observation pulse with colour and emotion. Influenced by artists such as Joan Eardley, Pierre Bonnard, and Barbara Rae, she works in acrylic and oil pastel, developing her paintings from plein air sketches into studio pieces filled with warmth, strength, and joy. Raised in the Doon Valley in a mining family, Bridget continues to be shaped by the landscapes of her childhood: “The Doon Valley landscape, especially around Loch Doon, seems to appear in all my landscapes. The hills and the sheep farms are just part of me.”
Julie’s layered, semi-abstract compositions evoke ancient paths, elemental textures, and shifting horizons. Based in Ayrshire, she gathers materials like sand, sea-washed coal, and even Orkney wool to build rich surfaces that glint with history. Her background, raised in a working-class family in the 1960s, meant art was a path returned to later in life, following her studies at Glasgow School of Art. Her practice reflects a deep, almost archaeological reverence for the land and its stories.
Family and place are central to both artists. Bridget often returns to the subject of her eleven grandchildren, though no portraits appear in this show. Julie draws from Scotland’s landscape and its layered, ancient past. Both share admiration for artists like Elizabeth Blackadder and American abstract expressionists, finding balance between careful planning and spontaneity.
Notable works in the exhibition include Julie’s Loudoun Hill, a memory-steeped landscape, and Bridget’sPicnics at Maidens, a joyful coastal scene. The show also features Cloud Bank over Harris, one of Julie’s favourites, and newer abstracted landscapes by Bridget that mark a fresh direction in her work.
Bridget reflects on the experience: “I never imagined I’d exhibit in a space like The Glasgow Gallery—it’s quite humbling!” The artists’ mutual support
and creative bond have shaped a moving and memorable exhibition—one that celebrates friendship, land, light, and the artistic spirit.
We warmly invite you to visit, take your time, and immerse yourself in this beautiful celebration of land, light, and artistic spirit. The exhibition continues until 30th August.