Rhueart Gallery – Changing Direction
After fifteen exciting and rewarding years of exhibitions, collaborations, and international art fairs, Rhueart is scaling back its website and exhibition programme.
From our beginnings with Highland Arts in 1995, through the creation of Rhueart with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, we have been privileged to work with and promote artists from Scotland and around the world. Highlights have included collaborations with Michael Longley, Helen Denerley, Dominique Gais, Jon Schueler, and Kevin Percival.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the artists, supporters, and friends who have been part of this journey.
Our past exhibitions remain available to explore. Browse the catalogues below to discover the artists and artworks that shaped Rhueart over the years.
20 May – 31 Oct 2023
“Fragments of Land”
An exhibition by DOMINIQUE GAIS
In fusion with Nature and its elements, my work as a painter, wants to testify to the beauty of the World. Scotland is for me an enchantment and an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Over the years, I have collected treasures of nature and beauty with my camera, which I interweave into my painting. The materials and textures here compete with each other in incredible colours. The Rhue Art Series, in subtle and icy shades of grey and blue, was a tribute to winter. The continuation of The Rhue Series was illuminated by the golds and greens of summer. In this new spring exhibition, “Fragments of the World”, the joyful boldness of the reds, oranges and yellows of lichen and seaweed are fully embodied, balanced by the infinite variations of white and grey, rock and salt.
1 April – 17 May 2023
“The Two Ravens”
An exhibition and screening of an animated film based on the folk story of Duncan Williamson. “The Two Ravens”. The project originated from conversations between musician Christine Martin (Skye) and film animator John McGeoch (Evanton) based on a single painting by John Slavin (Skye) , ‘Marigold’s Metamorphosis’ and then grew (and grew!) from there, utilising John Slavin’s existing paintings plus some new ones painted specially. Marigold’s Metamorphosis was one of this series and illustrated scenes from the Twa Ravens story.
Opening event Sat 1 April 2 – 4 pm All welcome There will be two screening of the film 2.30 and 3.30 pm
“From the SeaHouse”
Exhibition and installation of photographs with a poetic sound track by LINDA LASHFORD
From The Seahouse – an exhibition of prints, poems, and a book. What happens when a landscape photographer shrinks down her spatial boundaries? Takes refuge in a single shoreline and measures her time there in years rather than in days. ‘From the seahouse’ is a collection of images and words that has arisen out of one such period of retreat, and spans four winters living, writing, and photographing from a small Scottish beach. Winters in which the large, fixed surface details of the landscape recede and, in their place, have come fleeting images of light, wind and water. These pictures emerge unbidden and follow the flow of weed, or a skirl of wind, as it fractures light, cascading shadows. From rare, frozen days come fugitive images of ice fast rocks and imprisoned weed, and when the wind is low, no more than a breath upon the water, there are submerged, tumbled stones that photographed against a swirl of sand evolve into a universe of planets. At night I write, drawing words from the same physical and emotional landscape as the photographs. And while the images have a stillness that belies the tumult of the winter shoreline the words explore that tumult; the raw physical power and fugacity of the winter environment and my internal world, where unsettling memories are unlocked by a drift of scent or a turn of a stone.
5 April – 16 July 2022
“SKAIL”
An exhibition of new paintings by Mairearad Geen
‘Skail’, (an old scots word – to disperse or scatter) the title for my work as a visceral response to the shifting nature of my surrounding environment, Coigach, Assynt and Lochbroom: the place I am from and the place that provides a wealth of artistic opportunity, creative interpretation and expression. This deeply rooted sense of place informs my identity as a visual artist and musician. Combining both art and music, ‘skail’, will be exhibited at Rhueart, opening on the 15th April 2022 with some live music by me at the gallery on the 14th May (2-4pm). Responding instinctively to the ever-changing environment, I mostly work en plein air using acrylic paint on board or canvas. The elemental power of the sky, the land and the sea, as the weather disperses and scatters in an instant, gives a fascinating array of colour, density, turbulence, excitement, and surprise. I endeavour to capture this energy through tone, texture and mark making in my work and also through the recording of five improvised weather pieces to accompany the visual art, each crashing wave, gust of wind or splash of rain as it awakens my senses.
May – Oct 2021
“LIGHT IS LIQUID”
An Exhibition of Optical Paintings As Derived From Digital Pinhole Photography By Will Curwen Opening day Sat 29 May The Artist will be present at the gallery 11am to 3 pm
By definition a pinhole is not really a lens as such, but a carefully crafted aperture without an opinion upon whatever light is passing through it. Neither sharp nor unsharp, with everything in focus – or not in focus. It observes light reflected from a surface as an overlapping defractive pattern recording shape or form, without the deadening distraction of refracted detail. This I believe, is an important distinction as to how human vision works. So much of what we actually see as an initial first impression is based upon form as shaped by the luminosity of light. From there on, everything else follows through to form what I call ‘optical paintings’ which exist solely within the minds eye of the viewer as liquidfied light.
17 December 2019 – 31st March 2020
“DRAWINGS” by James Hawkins
An collection of James’ drawings that he has done over the last 40 years. A wonderful opportunity to see early sketches and working drawings done in the field and studio over the last 40 years.
17 August – 31st October 2019
“UNDERSONG”
Exhibition of Photographs by Linda Lashford
‘Undersong’ has arisen out of two winters in Wester Ross, and more particularly the landscape that surrounds the communities of Mellon Udrigle, Opinan and Laide. At each location, the images explore the world within the ‘view’ – the weed, rocks and lichen that stretch across the tidal zone.
27th April – 15 Aug 2019
“ASCENT”
Exhibition of new work by Ellis O’Connor based on her experience of the Assynt area
“A short walk in the Solu Kumbu”
The Exhibition of paintings by James Hawkins, based on the experience of the Himalaya will be at La Galleria, Pall Mall, London from Monday 29th October until Saturday 3rd November 2018
A year ago we were invited by James Lamb who runs a charity in Nepal to go trekking with him and his partner Tashi with a view to creating some paintings to raise money for their charity, the little Sherpa foundation. Initially the charity was to help the widows of those Sherpa guides killed on Everest in 2014 and after the earthquake in 2015. However during the intervening years it has expanded to help rebuild the school in Phortse and now has plans to build a health centre there. Tashi and James also run Tengboche trekking, a company that creates employment for local guides and gives the profits from the treks to the little Sherpa foundation.
July 7th – Aug 29th 2018
“ACROSS THE EQUINOX”
A really exciting prospect. An exhibition of work by two great friends, renowned Metal Sculptor Helen Denerley and celebrated Irish poet Michael Longley. Each will create work in response to the other’s Art .
Saturday 7 July 2-4 pm
Poetry reading by Michael Longley
Pimms and Cream teas Everyone welcome
Sept 1st- Oct 31st 2018
“Scotland’s Countryside”
Watercolour exhibition by Dr Jean Balfour (Jean Drew)
A unique chance to see the wonderful water colours by Dr Balfour, who celebrated her 90th birthday in 2017. A highly respected and knowledgeable Conservationist
May 19th – 4th July 2018
“Landscapes”
New Work by Jean Michel Benier
The second exhibition at Rhue by the wonderful French Landscape painter Jean Michel Bénier, who shares his life between the mountains and the sea, painting and writing. For 40 years, he has exhibited in Switzerland, California and France.
April 7th – 16th May 2018
“A wander in the Sun”
An exhibition of Photographs by Mark Junor Johnston
Mark Junor Johnston is based in Aberdeenshire. “I have a sneaking idea that you have to use two ways of looking if you want to give a good feel for 3 dimensions. The mind and eye, can then appreciate the distortions inevitable in each type of projection, and make allowances for it. I enjoy going from one projection to the other and back again, just to appreciate the artifices involved in flattening 3 dimensional reality onto a 2 dimensional picture. Notice how the linear pictures distort the foreground, and one loses sense of direction. The circular pictures though do those things very well, but curve the horizon, and flatten out the sky. As the sky doesn’t usually hold much information it works very well.”
25th Aug – 31st Oct 2017
“The Rhue Series”
An exhibition by Dominique Gais
Between painting, painted-photo and photo-painting Through the world of trompe l’oeil and mural painting, Dominique Gais is installed into a form of play, where the spectator has doubt of what he sees, and wonders about the nature of the object it looks. The riddle is central in her approach.
11th March – April 13th 2017
“HOW DO I LOOK ?”
An exhibition by Ian Williams
Thought provoking pieces and installations. A different view on Art and how to look at it.
20th Aug _ Oct 31st
“Greenland: At the Margins”
Jane Rushton and Rhea Banker
Jane Rushton and Rhea Banker spent a period of time together in and around Ilulissat Kangia and Eqip Sermia, on Greenland’s west coast, gathering material for a project that would bring their two artforms together in dialogue. Of course, the stunning landscape of west Greenland was a huge inspiration but, more particularly, they were each drawn to the complex relationships between the seemingly permanent geological elements of nature and the more transient elements like ice, water and the lichen flora.
July 18th – Aug 17th
“Sun Sugar”
Eleanor is best known for her dynamic teaching at Bridge House Art in Ullapool and at Leith School of Art in Edinburgh, an inspirational and feisty tutor this is a rare chance to see the huge repertoire of her techniques employed to create her own enigmatic images.
June 18th – July 16th
“Landscapes”
Jean Michel Benier lives in France and regularly visits Scotland to make plein air watercolours exploring the coast line from the land and the sea. His paintings capture weather and shorelines, mountain and seascapes with a minimal elegance.
May 7th – June 17th
“Distillation of Light”
Jon Schueler
Part of the world wide centenary celebrations of the birth of the American abstract expressionist painter Jon Schueler Jon lived in New York but spent several months throughout each year painting from his studio in Mallaig. His luminous paintings celebrate the ever changing light of the west coast.
Radio Interview
James Hawkins, artist at Rhue Art Gallery, talks to Jon Miller about renowned American artist Jon Schueler whose work is featured in two exhibitions in Ullapool, one at An Talla Solais and another at Rhue Art Gallery which features paintings and films.
Mar 26th – May 4th
“It’s the grass that suffers”
Peter White and Joanna Wright
Work created during a visit to northern Uganda. The research visit was sponsored by the Refugee Law Project, a Ugandan organisation that supports asylum seekers, refugees, displaced people and their host communities within Uganda. 10% of the value of sales from this exhibition will be donated to RLP to support the National Peace and Memory Documentation Centre and its vital peacebuilding work. RLP will also be glad of any direct donations: see their website www.refugeelawproject.org.
15th August – 15th October 2015
FLORENCE JAMIESON
To celebrate her ninetieth birthday, a retrospective exhibition by one of the Glasgow Girls from the 1960’s
18th April – 31st Oct 2015
Sculpture Garden throughout the Summer Displaying work by HELEN DENERLEY and MO FARQUHARSON
18th April – 31st Oct East Gallery 2015
New Paintings and Cut-out landscapes
by JAMES HAWKINS Exciting new work by one of Scotland’s foremost Landscape Artists
30th May – 11th August 2015
“Tor land”
Rhiannon Van Muysen New work about the Tors of Cornwall and the China clay country
1st March – 28th May 2015
Spring Exhibition by GALLERY ARTISTS
Aug 1st- Oct 15th 2014
New large work
Shortlisted for Wildlife Artist of the year Award. Katy observes and records the unique moments that nature reveals.
May 23rd – 30th July 2014
“MOLTO IN PARVO”
Miniature sculptures by Helen Denerley
Specially commissioned for this exhibition, one of Scotland’s foremost sculptor’s has created a series of miniature animals.
18th April – 21st May 2014
New Watercolour Paintings
A collection of new paintings by Tobias Hodson
Huge, vibrant watercolour paintings, the technical skill used in these enormous works is quite remarkable
14th sept – 31st Oct 2013
“Memories and Observations, Cuimheachan is Seallaiddhean“
A collection of new paintings by CELIA GARBUTT
17th August -11th Sept 2013
“Script of Light”
by Peter Welch Retrospective exhibition of Photographs of Scotland, Spain and New York
8th June – 14th August 2013
“LifeLines”
by Lisa O’Brien
27th June – 13th July 2013
MORTAGNE AU PERCHE BIENNALE, FRANCE ART FORUM 61
Rhueart was delighted to have been asked to put on an Exhibition at ART FORUM 61, A Contemporary Art Biennale in France.
We showed work by Rhiannon Van Muysen, Helen Denerley, Tobias Hodson and James Hawkins at this prestigious Biennial during late June and early July. The multi venued exhibition featured more than thirty international artists; the lead artist was Gustave Courbet.
We gratefully acknowledge assistance from Creative Scotland’s International Programme
30th March – 1st June 2013
“Lay of the Land”
New work by Rhiannon Van Muysen.
Inspired by the Landscape and Geology of Northern Scotland and Iceland.
2013 5th – 9th March
“People and Places”
Mo Farquharson and James Hawkins at The Gallery,28 Cork Street,London.
Friends and contempories at The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University of Oxford this exhibition features Mo’s bronze sculptures and James’ carbon fibre cut-out paintings.
2012 Aug-Sept
“Red Leaves, Diary of a year”
A series of new work by Katy Spong
2012 Sept-Oct
James Lumsden New work inspired by RSA residency in Ullapool
2012 Oct-Dec
Winter Show Mixed show by gallery artists
2012 April-Oct
RhueArt Gallery Gardens – Outdoor Sculpture exhibition Scrap metal animals by Helen Denerley and Alison Weightman’s ceramics
2012 June-July
“Morphogenesis”
An Exhibition of Large and vibrant watercolours by Irish based Artist Tobias Hodson.
2012 April-May
Lucy Woodley and Elfyn Lewis New silver work by Lucy Woodley, inspired by residency at Cove Park along side our new Welsh painter Elfyn Lewis. Welsh Artist of the year
2012 11-16 June
“Cutting edge”
Major solo show by James Hawkins New work including recent free form cut out paintings. The Gallery Cork Street London.
OCT 2011
Art London art fair, Chelsea, London 2011 Rhueart Ullapool
James Lumsden Mary Bourne 2011 Autumn Show, Rhue, Ullapool
Rhueart Ullapool
Katy Spong and Tobias Hodson Summer Show, Rhue, Ullapool
6th April-16th April 2011
“Perception”
Exhibition of Rhueart Artists Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary St., Edinburgh. Mary Bourne, Helen Denerley, James Hawkins, Tobias Hodson, Mhairi Killin, James Lumsden, Katie Spong and Peter White
October 2010
Affordable Art Fair, London
August 2010 Inverness
Scotland’s Housing Expo
March 2010
Glasgow Art Fair
October 2009
“The Chronicles of the Straight Line Ramblers Club”
James Hawkins exhibition SW1 Gallery London
Affordable Art Fair, London
May 2009
April 2009
Glasgow Art Fair
in association with Highland Arts
Summer 2007
Nairn International Book Festival
Highland Artists Showcase
Summer 2007
Cawdor Castle
Exhibition of Highland Artists
Highland Year of Culture 2007
Highland Artists Showcase
2006 – 2008
University of the Highlands and Islands Executive Office
Temporary exhibitions of Highland Artists
2006 – 2008
Inverness Airport
Temporary exhibitions of Highland Artists
June/July 2001
Living The Land,
Scottish National Galleries, Duff House, Banff.
January 2001
Art 2001,
Islington, London
May 1997
LINEART Ghent.