Kate Downie RSA, visits the Storytelling Apartment!
One of our favourite Scottish artists is Kate Downie RSA. Kate was recently in the Storytelling Apartment visiting with the Norwegian artist, Anna Kristin Ferking, who was staying with us.
Like a lot of artists, Kate carries a small notebook with her. On the occassion of her visit to the Storytelling Apartment she sat on the windowseat and sketched what she saw. How amazing to have such an incredible artist and friend find our windowseat vantage point so interesting!
Click on Kate’s now-famous sketch to enlarge it:
Storytelling Apartment view from the windowseat
Beth’s Recommendation: I wish Kate was our little secret so we could have first dibs on all her work, but it’s only right that we share her with the world. You can sign up for updates about Kate’s exhibitions directly on her website. We love you Kate!
Turner watercolours stunning January tradition – FREE
You know it’s January when the Joseph Mallord Williman Turner watercolours are on display at the National Galleries of Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy Building Lower Galleries, Edinburgh for free, 1-31 January.
JMW Turner, Aldorough - Suffolk
Beth’s Recommendation: These watercolours are only viewed in January because that’s when sunlight is at its weakest. Therefore, the colours of these small pieces have been preserved thanks to the instructions that were included with Henry Vaughan’s bequest of the watercolours to the National Galleries. Even if you’ve seen these, it’s worth a visit to see them again and again and again…
A blazing Royal Mile
How do you make Hogmanay in Edinburgh even better? You bring Carabosse, 
a French company, to Edinburgh’s Old Town to create a dramatic performance of live art on the famous Royal Mile (after switching off all the lights of course). The live performance will include different fire sculptures and objects on fire, lighting up usually dark corners. All of this activity also includes live music from Parliament Square right in the middle of the Royal Mile. This is free entertainment in Edinburgh at its very best!
Beth’s Recommendation: Cancel whatever plans you already have and make sure you’re on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for Carabosse’s free outdoor Fire Installation. The Royal Mile will be alight from 7pm-11pm on Wednesday December 30 and from 4pm-8pm on January 1, 2010.
Coburg House Art Studios Christmas Weekend – Sat & Sun, 5 – 6 December
What do you buy for the person who has absolutely everything?
A visit to Coburg House Art Studios during the weekend of 5-6 December will answer that question ten fold. You can walk around the studios and visit the artists where they work to create many objects of desire.
Coburg House Art Studios
Beth’s Recommendation: I love my jewellery and have my favourites. Firstly – Jenny Pope works with ceramics to create pieces that seem to have been found while walking along a beach in East Lothian. I don’t know how she makes clay look like that, but I own one of her necklaces. Secondly – Lorna Hewitt works with precious metals and stones and resin. Her rings are magnificent layers of colour, movement and form and I aspire to own one of these. It costs nothing to have a wander around the studios and who knows…you may just find a wee something for yourself…
Union Gallery – anytime
Visiting galleries in Edinburgh is a past time of mine. I’ve picked up some unexpected pieces of art simply because when I saw them for the first time I just had to have them. 
The Union Gallery on Broughton Street is worth a visit to see the gallery but also to meet the director Rob Dawkins who is a fascinating character, very happy to engage in interesting conversation.
Beth’s Recommendation: There are art galleries all over Edinburgh and they are all FREE. Try never to pass by an opportunity to pop in and have a look around. You never know what you’ll see or who you’ll meet.
Edinburgh Printmakers Open Day – Saturday 14 November
The Edinburgh Printmakers is one of the city’s most fantastic resources for everyone.
Beth's pink sheep
Beth’s Recommendation: I just took a weekend long workshop on screen printing and produced a pink sheep ala Andy Warhol. What a fantastic weekend I had! The instructor Gill is so knowledgeable and SO patient. All the participants are friendly and helpful as well. Following the workshop I now have a 6 month associate membership which means I can make more pink sheep!!
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Beth Edberg
Beth has lived in Edinburgh for 11 years and adores this city. Exploring Edinburgh is never ending and Beth loves to share stories about all the great places to go, things to do and people to see. Beth admires great customer service and secretly wishes she was a secret shopper. Beth is a co-owner of the 4 star, self catering Storytelling Apartment on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
