Common Ground; The Living Landscape
Notes from an exhibition in Scotland’s premiere artists town.
While attending an art exhibition event in the Scottish Borders last autumn, I got chatting to some fellow attendees who suggested that I join Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) after showing them images of some of my own work. Researching more about VAS, I soon applied to become a member which provided me with an online presence and notifications for their upcoming open calls.
The first open call to come through was for “Common Ground; The Living Landscape”.
Common Ground; The Living Landscape is an exhibition that brings together artists and makers whose work speaks to our deep, evolving relationship with Scotland’s natural environment.
This theme completely resonated with me, and I was delighted when Badgers Den was shortlisted in early December. Following a rigorous 3rd round, and on Christmas Eve, I was thrilled to be informed that it was selected to exhibit from (what I later heard) thousands of entries!
We then booked accommodation in Kirkcudbright (pronounced Kir-coo-bree) for the Private view on January 31st 2026.
Neither of us had ever been to Kirkcudbright before, but after researching, we were looking forward to visiting “Scotland’s Premier Artists Town”. Boasting 20 art galleries with a population of around 3000 folk, E.A. Hornel, Jessie M. King, and the Scottish Colourists, helped to establish this artist haven in the 19th Century.
Kirkcudbright in January…
Even in dull winter, the town had its charms.
Norrie and I getting ready for our first Private View party!
A Great Response to Badgers Den!
We found everyone we met in Kirkcudbright to be so welcoming and met some truly lovely folk at the private view, whom we have kept in regular contact with since.
Worth a visit!
Make sure to visit the Kirkcudbright Galleries to see this beautifully curated exhibition before it closes on May 10th!