Excitement is growing for an artistic double bill celebrating nature and the fruitful talents of a local group which has been flourishing for over 70 years.
Starting this Saturday (5 April 2025) at the Lillie Art Gallery in Milngavie are two free showcases:
- ‘Take a Leaf’ by Denise Chateau-Loney
- Bearsden Art Club Annual Exhibition 2025
Councillor Jim Gibbons – Chair of East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust, which runs the Lillie – said, "We are very pleased to be hosting two excellent new shows at the gallery – offering visitors the chance to enjoy and be inspired by a range of works. I hope as many people as possible are able to attend.”
Denise Chateau-Loney’s exhibition, ‘Take a Leaf’, is on at the Lillie from 5 April-8 May and 17 May-12 June 2025 (with a short break in between to install another display). ‘Take a Leaf’ will feature botanical printing and watercolours – including paintings, objects and textiles.
The aim is to highlight the message of sustainability and the rediscovery of our hedgerows. Denise, who lives in Milngavie, wants to emphasise the power of everyday plants to delight, educate and provide.
She said, "Since I first encountered botanical printing several years ago, I have developed my own technique. Painting directly onto naturally dyed paper gives a unique effect that I very much enjoy and I find that watercolours yield the best results.
"Looking firstly to my garden for inspiration, I have developed many more skills, some of them virtually unchanged from ancient 'folk crafts'. These include basket weaving, plant cordage and wood carving by hand, without the aid of a lathe.
"In my bookbinding practice, I like to work with botanical prints and dyes transferred onto silk and paper. To me the unique possibilities of botanical dye and natural, found materials are limitless – a sentiment showcased in my work to date."
We are very pleased to be hosting two excellent new shows at the gallery – offering visitors the chance to enjoy and be inspired by a range of works. I hope as many people as possible are able to attend.
Meanwhile, Bearsden Art Club’s Annual Art Exhibition is on at the Lillie from 5 April-8 May 2025.
The club has been thriving since 1953 and, year after year, its talented members produce works of high quality – attracting attention from near and far.
Retiring President Moira May said, "The exhibition will appeal to everyone with an interest in art. It will include oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings, as well as ceramics, textiles and sculpture.
"During our exhibition we will also have an 'Artist in Residence', where visitors to the gallery can interact with our members and find out more about us."
The gallery has hosted the club's annual exhibition since 1983. Annually around 180 works of art are displayed, with a number of prizes awarded.
Both exhibitions will be opened at 2.30pm on Saturday 5 April 2025. Admission free – all welcome.
The Lillie Art Gallery – Station Road, Milngavie, G62 8BZ – is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is free. Please note, it will close for Easter on Thursday 17 April – reopening on Tuesday 22 April 2025. For more venue information, call 0141 956 5536 or visit the Lillie Art gallery web page on the EDLC website.
