My name is Louise McBride (Art by Louise McBride), and I am from Doonfoot in Ayr. I am happy to support the ART project as it’s going to be an exciting new art installation right on my doorstep.
I began practicing art when I was basically just a child, but became more focused on this in Secondary school where I built up a portfolio of work to allow me to apply to attend Glasgow School of Art in 1999.
I got into art because I admittedly realised I had a talent for it and took joy in expressing myself creatively and in recreating the beauty around me, which still stands today!
The medium I use most often is soft pastel and pastel pencils for detail. In fact, apart from some graphite, ink and charcoal, I don’t use much else. I fell in love with soft pastel some years ago after being determined to master its tricky nature. Since then, I’ve never looked back!
Living in Ayrshire is a constant source of inspiration to me. This area, particularly around the coast, is abundant with natural beauty and blessed with sprawling skies – my favourite subject matter.
Ayrshire has a wealth of artistic talent and I am lucky enough to be a member of both Open Studios Ayrshire and the Carrick Artists Collective, which allow me to meet and collaborate with like-minded creatives whilst sharing knowledge and experience.
Joining a collective or an art club is a great way to expand your creative knowledge, share experiences and make like-minded contacts that will last a lifetime. It also gives you a great excuse (if ever one was needed) to indulge your passion.
Currently, I have worked displayed in The Smiddy Gallery & Shop at Culzean, Souter Johnnie’s Cottage Gallery and Gifts in Kirkoswald, COAST gallery in Troon and, until Sunday 25th of June, at the Paisley Art Institute annual exhibition in the MacLaurin galleries.
I think that, generally speaking, the Ayrshire art scene is a friendly, varied and dynamic one which is constantly evolving to meet an expanding public interest in the arts.
For anyone interested in the arts and creativity generally, a local must-see is the MacLaurin and Rozelle art galleries in Ayr, the ongoing arts and crafts markets in The Grain Exchange in Ayr High street, The Smiddy Gallery and the surrounding park at Culzean, Souter Johnnies Cottage Gallery in Kirkoswald and many more!
Many thanks for reading my blog. Please follow me on @ArtbyLouiseMcBride Facebook page to keep up with my work and latest news.
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