JOHN GRAY'S EDINBURGH Exhibition Continues Until April 26, Edinburgh

Scottish artist John Gray presents a series of paintings inspired by the city of Edinburgh, its history and people at the at Whitespace in Gayfield Square from Friday 13 to Thursday 26 April 2012 as a way of paying homage to the city which gave him the education and provided the environment that inspired him to spend the rest of his life as a professional artist.

Many artists have been inspired by Edinburgh, but none more so than painter John Gray who has spent 20 years creating a series of large-scale oil paintings about the city, its history, and some of the characters and myths it has associated with it.

Many of the paintings recreate Edinburgh, portraying the controversial and notorious characters of the city’s history, such as ‘The Wizard of the West Bow’, depicting the
sinister Major Thomas Weir, and ‘Bowed Joseph’ the master of the Edinburgh mob. These pieces are alongside other works ‘Deacon Brodie’, ‘Burke and Hare’ and ‘The Death of Montrose’.

At a time when Scotland’s independence is a burning political issue, two of John’s paintings feature incidents brought on by the historic acts of union with England – both ‘The Porteous Riots’ and ‘Queensberry House’ bring witness to the disturbance caused by union and disunion.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the family home was in the old town’s Blackfriars Street, formally Blackfriars Wynde as it appears in the painting ‘Cowgate Bickers’.

This series of Edinburgh works is a culmination of John’s considerable painting experience and showcases the great combination of artist, fine art technique and fascinating subject matter. This is the first time that all of the Edinburgh paintings have been shown together, with many of the pieces being recalled from private collections and collectors to make up the full series.

John Gray is currently based in Spalding, Lincolnshire where he runs Riverside Studios and Gallery with his partner, the artist Helen Webber.

www.riverbank-studios.co.uk