Last weekend the Brit and I were off to Edinburgh and dropped by the launch to the new exhibition hosted at Flamingosaurus Rex studio in Bruntsfield.
Flamingosaurus Rex opened last year and it is a gallery dedicated mostly to Scottish art. I think that’s amazing! There are indeed so many artists in Scotland and it’s great to see somewhere celebrating that fact. And while they focus on Scottish-based artists, they have had collaborations with talents from abroad too. They worked with the Underwater Collective from New Zealand and I’ve been told that later this year they will be hosting an exhibition by a Greece-based zine. Exciting!
It was the owner, Lucie, that had invited me and greeted us to the gallery. It was so interesting to hear how the gallery came to be. She said that her and a friend had been talking about opening a gallery – you know like people who chat about dreams, but never really do anything about it? – well they did it! One day a retail spot opened up and they went in, just to see, just for fun. Well just for fun led them to writing a business proposal and then signing a lease. And Flamingosaurus Rex was born!
I loved how focus on the artists she was. She later wrote to me that she’d seen many multi-functional galleries back home in Toronto (she’s a fellow Canuck!) and she wanted something a bit like that here. Somewhere where artists could have their work showcased but also sell some of that art. A true collaboration. And I have to say I had my eye on some amazing bee-wing inspired earrings!
I especially love what they stand for. Lucie told me that “Ideologically, Flamingosaurus Rex aims to be an active proponent of the Scottish arts scene and a supporting structure within the artistic community. We’re so lucky to have such a wealth of talent here in Scotland, which we just love to discover.” And I love that Flamingosaurus Rex allows us (me, you, everyone) to discover it too!
On the actual night, we were greeted with free drinks, sponsored by Eden Mill (the very trendy gin distillery from St Andrews) and a friendly dog! I mean what could be better?
The launch was for the exhibition ‘gOd doesn’t play dice with dinosaurs’ by artist Mark Nicholas Edward, an illustrator and artist based in Edinburgh. I’m all for dinosaurs, so I loved this exhibit. You’ll see below, but it was such an interesting range of art, there were drawings and paintings. I loved the different angles and light effects through it. It was a fun night!
You know how I’m always in to discover something new in my favourite city in Scotland? This was perfect. You can never go wrong with a friendly dog, free booze and quirky art. In terms of Saturday night, you can’t get much better.
Do you like to visit art galleries in your area? Ever buy local art?xx
