This summer’s exhibition at Kirkcudbright Galleries is “Charles Oppenheimer: His Art”.
June 22nd – September 1st
Exhibition £5 : Tours free
Euan Robson, Curator of this exhibition, and author of the book ‘Charles Oppenheimer From Craftsman to Artist’, will be running a series of tours of the exhibition throughout the summer, open to all members of the public.
Charles Oppenheimer, his father a German Jewish immigrant and his mother a Scots Wee Free, was born in 1875 in Manchester where he grew up, studied and entered his family’s mosaic manufacturing business. A chance meeting in that city drew him in 1909, aged thirty-three, to Kirkcudbright. His new career as an artist blossomed only to be interrupted by service at the front in the Great War. Returning in 1919 he lived in the town until his death in 1961. A hill walker and angler he loved the outdoor life and found the superb light and the beautiful Galloway countryside a constant inspiration. He also painted in Italy, Switzerland and France producing some wonderful canvasses several which feature in this exhibition. His work demonstrates mastery of both oil and watercolour mediums.
Euan Robson was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for eight years and for part of that time an Education Minister. He now works in public affairs in the education, energy and consumer safety. He studied history at university and has long had a fascination for the life and work of Scottish artists. His book, Charles Oppenheimer From Craftsman to Artist followed an earlier biography,George Houston Nature’s Limner, both of which were well received.
Euan lives in Kelso in the Scottish Borders. He is a keen angler, his passion for fishing being shared by both Oppenheimer and Houston.
For more information about booking for the tours
Spaces for the tour can be reserved on the website.
https://www.kirkcudbrightgalleries.org.uk/event/
Cost: Free | 15 people per tour | The dates for these are:
- Thursday 4th July. 2 tours: 11am-12pm, and 2:30pm-3:30pm. • Tuesday 16th July: 11am-12pm. • Tuesday 6th August: 11am-12pm, and 2:30pm-3:30pm. • Tuesday 13th August: 11am-12pm, and 2:30pm-3:30pm. • Tuesday 29th August: 11am-12pm, and 2:30pm-3:30pm.
Please note that tickets to Oppenheimer: His Art can be purchased at the Front Desk Reception or at the Entrance to the Oppenheimer Gallery. Tickets are £5 per person and these are unlimited returns to the Oppenheimer exhibition.
Free entry to : Friends of Kirkcudbright Galleries, Art Fund Members and U18’s to this exhibit.
Meeting Point for Tour: Euan Robson will meet guests to begin the tour on the ground floor in the permanent exhibition of Kirkcudbright Artists. Visitors who have RSVP’d a space on a tour slot will meet beside Oppenheimer’s art studio before going up to the Oppenheimer Gallery. This can be located on the left hand side on the back wall of the permanent exhibition space