Fife railway stations open doors for art exhibition

Last updated: Friday, 3 May 2019

Ten venues at Fife railway stations will host a line-up of art, poetry and heritage this weekend when The Artline Open Doors takes place.

Art studios and heritage centres at stations between North Queensferry and Cupar will open their doors to the public on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May to showcase local painting, craft, poetry, jewellery and history.

Over the past few years, many disused railway buildings have been restored and redeveloped into galleries, shops, studios and other community spaces through grants from the Railway Heritage Trust and the Stations Community Regeneration Fund. A growing number of artists and craftsmiths are based in the restored station buildings along the route, and normally their studios are closed to the public.

Exhibits will be held at:

  • North Queensferry Forth Bridge Heritage Centre looks at the work of Charles Martin Hardie, a well-known Scottish and local artist, Charles Martin Hardie, JMW Turner as well as a number of local artists.
  • Inverkeithing station lounge hosts a permanent exhibition of 22 rail art and writing posters by Sheena Berry and Maureen Sangster.
  • Aberdour Heritage Centre was named as the best small station in Britain in the 2018 National Rail Awards. During the Artline visitors will be able to find information on growing up in Aberdour and places of interest to visit in the village.
  • Aberdour Signal Box studio is primarily used by ceramic artist Lynette Gray. Lynette will demonstrate the art of slip casting and the process used to create her models of birds and creative woodworker Paul Neal will showcase his work in this unusual venue.
  • Burntisland platform studios were converted into artists’ studios and originally housed the station waiting rooms. The building now houses creative spaces for artists; Sally Grant, Grace Girvan, (jewellers); EKleKtiK, (painted textiles), Gingerbread Designs (textiles and ceramics), Lara Scouller, Sophie McKay Knight (fine art painter) and Susie Redman (weaver).
  • Kinghorn Studios & Gallery hosts the exhibition “Coast”, featuring paintings of the Fife coastline by Lynette and Douglas Gray, and invited artist Stuart Gilmour. Lynette’s ceramics of birds are also on display.
  • Kirkaldy Galleries will see the exhibition “REFUGIO”, by Roger Palmer, celebrating 300 years since the novel Robinson Crusoe was published. Landscape paintings by the Scottish Colourists and William McTaggart, as well as portraits and Fife landscapes can also be viewed.
  • Ladybank station artist studio hosts the award-winning artist Kirsty Lorenz whose work has centered around flowers for over 13 years. She is well known for her diverse portrayal of flowers, most recently focusing on wild Scottish flowers in the form of votive offerings.
  • Ladybank Off The Rail Arthouse will feature an exhibition by Indigo Tracks, a textile and mixed media group which meets regularly on the premises. Their exhibition “Full Steam Ahead” will include original art for sale at affordable prices, including cards and prints.
  • Cupar Heritage Centre hosts a new exhibition about shops and shopkeepers through time in Cupar. The theme was inspired as a result of work undertaken by Lindsay Lennie, a consultant in shopfront and shop interior conservation that demonstrated the rich variety of historic shopfronts in Cupar. The exhibition will feature not only the variety of retail outlets, but stories of the people who contributed to the establishment of Cupar as a centre of commerce in Fife.

Venues are open 10am-4pm, are free to visit, and visitors can easily access them all by train.

Full details of The Artline Open Doors Weekend can be found at www.theartline.co.uk

ScotRail Community Liaison Executive John Wilson said:

“We’re committed to supporting our local communities and their projects, and the Artline Open Doors weekend is just one of the ways we do this.

“We know how important the railway is to the communities we serve, and we want to do all we can to strengthen and support that link.”

Artline Organiser Lynette Gray said:

“It’s great to welcome visitors at the venues. There certainly is plenty to see and it is an attractive line too.

“If you like art, history or restoration projects you will find something to interest you.”