@flemingartcoll.bsky.social
Collection of both established and emerging Scottish artists. Publisher of Scottish Art News. flemingcollection.com
This week's contemporary artist spotlight: Nnena Kalu 🎨
Her distinctive, expressive style has earned widespread recognition in recent years.
Her Kalu’s work is currently part of the We Contain Multitudes exhibition at Dundee Contemporary Arts, on show until 26 April 2026 🖼️
Alexander Nasmyth, A Stormy Highland Scene, (c. 1810). The Fleming Collection.
William Crozier, Edinburgh from Castle Street (c. 1930). The Fleming Collection.
Waller Paton, Craigmillar Castle (cropped) (c. 1861). The Fleming Collection.
David Young Cameron, Dieppe Castle (c. 1896). The Fleming Collection.
Scottish castles feel as much part of the landscape as the hills and heather 🌿
Here is a selection of majestic castles from The Fleming Collection 🏰
Alan Davie (1926-2014), Still Life – Flowers on a Table (c. 1946) © the artist’s estate. The Fleming Collection.
A jazz musician as well as a painter, artist Alan Davie approached his practice through the spirit improvisation and intuition.
This work, painted early in his career, is rooted in the still life tradition, but hints at Davie’s later engagement with myth, zen philosophy and surrealism.
A soft artwork of a woman's face, with her eyes closed. She has large black eyelashes and a stripy pink top. There is some wire where her hair should be, and thick pink brushstrokes. There is also a piece of gold foil above her right eye.
An expressive artwork depicting a fragmented, stylised figure set against a swirling dark blue background. The figure’s body appears assembled from angular shapes in yellow, white, and black, with scattered yellow droplets surrounding it. Detached limbs and abstract forms float around the central figure.
A dark, atmospheric painting of a lone white animal standing in the middle of an empty road at night. Bare, shadowy trees line both sides of the road, and pale purplish tones highlight the forest floor.
This week's contemporary artist spotlight: Monya Flannigan 🎨
Moyna Flannigan (b. 1962) is a Scottish artist born in Kirkcaldy.
Of her work, she said: “To a casual observer these images might seem completely disconnected, but for me they have associations to my life, my interests and to memory.” 💫
William James Yule (1867-1900), Spring (c. 1892). The Fleming Collection.
Happy St Brigid’s Day 🍃
In Irish and Scottish mythology, today is the turning pointing in winter, when the Cailleach loosens her grip on the land and the maiden goddess Brigid’s influence begins 🌱
In artist William Yule’s ‘Spring’, the new season is symbolised by a young girl in a green dress.
A Baroque oil painting depicting a woman, Judith, dressed in a sumptuous, shimmering yellow gown with voluminous white sleeves and a red-lined cloak. She stands in the center, gazing calmly toward the viewer while holding a sword in her right hand and the severed head of a bearded man by the hair in her left. To the right, an older woman wearing a white headscarf looks on with a focused expression. The scene is set against a dark, shadowy background that emphasizes the dramatic lighting and the rich textures of the clothing. Cristofano Allori, Judith with the Head of Holofernes (1613). © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 Royal Collection Trust.
A Renaissance oil portrait of a dark‑haired figure in three‑quarter view, wearing a dark robe with a white pleated collar and holding a small red book. The figure is set against a deep, shadowed background, with soft lighting emphasizing the hands, clothing, and painterly texture. The painting is Titian, Portrait of Jacopo Sannazaro (c. 1514). © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
A sunlit courtyard scene with red‑brick buildings and tiled roofs, where a woman in a blue skirt and light apron stands holding a jug while another seated figure sits spinning at a spinning wheel nearby. A leafy tree rises above a wall to the right, with soft evening light and long shadows creating a calm, domestic atmosphere. Pieter de Hooch, A Courtyard in Delft at Evening: A Woman Spinning (1657). © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
An oil painting depicting a woman shown from the waist up in a contemplative pose against a dark, neutral background. She wears a large, voluminous white turban and a blue dress with a red decorative bodice, draped in heavy folds of pink and ochre-orange fabric. Her head rests thoughtfully on her right hand while she holds an open book in her left, her gaze directed downward toward the pages. To her right, a second book rests on a stone ledge with the inscription "SYBILLA LIBIA" visible on its spine. The scene is defined by soft, dramatic lighting that emphasizes the rich colors and textures of her garments. The painting is Guercino, The Libyan Sibyl (1651). © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
Eight incredible paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries have travelled from Buckingham Palace in London for display in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh 🎨
Read writer Shalmali Shetty's review: bit.ly/49TLfaX
Samuel John Peploe, Luxembourg Gardens (c. 1910). The Fleming Collection.
Samuel John Peploe, Lady in a White Dress (cropped) (c. 1904). The Fleming Collection.
Samuel John Peploe, A Vase of Pink Roses (c. 1925). The Fleming Collection.
Samuel John Peploe, Self Portrait (pencil sketch) (c. 1920). The Fleming Collection.
Scottish Colourist S.J. Peploe was born #OnThisDay in 1871 🥳
By the time of his death in 1935, aged 64, Peploe was hailed as ‘the real leader of the forward movement in Scotland.’
June Crisfield-Chapman, Tam O’Shanter (c. unknown). © Artist's Estate. The Fleming Collection.
The Fleming Collection wishes you a very merry Burns Night! 🎉🥃
This work, by artist June Crisfield-Chapman, depicts scenes from Burns’ masterpiece poem, Tam O’Shanter 🎻
A black and white photo of an older man wearing a strped jumper and tartan hat with a bobble. He is leaning on a trolly on his left, while an accordion and amp are on his right.
Two young girls stand side by side, barefoot on a patterned rug in a living room. One wears a black and brown embroidered outfit with a scarf, the other a red embroidered dress with matching trousers. Both face the camera with neutral expressions. Behind them are sofas, a wall with handmade decorations, and a doorway with clothes hanging nearby.
A mixed‑media collage featuring a centrally placed illustration of a teenager standing with arms crossed, wearing flared trousers, a V‑neck sweater over a shirt, and a shoulder bag. Surrounding the figure are neatly arranged concert tickets, handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
Black-and-white photograph of five children standing closely together in art studio. An older girl holds a baby on her hip while three younger children stand beside her, wearing worn coats and dresses, and a canvas and rough wooden furnishings in the background.
Featuring more than eighty photographs, the Still Glasgow exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art Glasgow, views the city through the lenses of residents and visitors across the decades 📸
Our writer Lena Kammerer selected five works in the exhibition not to miss: bit.ly/stillglasgow...
Artist Andrew Gannon stands against a white wall, holding a branch of bright red berries in front of their face. One arm is encased in a white plaster cast, which supports the branch, partially obscuring their eyes and nose.
A white plaster cast topped with colourful sprinkes, like you would see on an ice cream cone. In the background is a built up area with buildings and cars. The sky is a bright blue.
a hanging cluster of 10 plaster limb casts. It is hanging from a red bungee cord and has been left plaster white.
A sculpture made by setting limb casts into a plaster base using a square mould.
This week's contemporary artist spotlight: Andrew Gannon.
His practice plays with assumptions about disability objects, asking if a prosthetic is not functional or cosmetic, then what is it – who is it for?
Helen Flockhart, Canute (1997). © the artist. The Fleming Collection. A painting of a red-haired man sitting on an iron throne in the sea. The water is up to his elbows. His mouth is open, as if he is speaking. The sky is dark and the sea is choppy.
A legend tells of King Canute the Great placing his throne by the sea to prove that even a king could not command the tides, reminding his courtiers that only God was all-powerful.
Scottish artist Helen Flockhart reimagines the story in this vivid painting, now part of The Fleming Collection.
James Paterson, Winter Sunshine, Moniaive (c. 1889). The Fleming Collection.
Jack Knox, Capercaillie and Cloud (c. 1987). © the artist’s estate.
Joseph Farquharson, A Winters Morning (c. unknown). The Fleming Collection.
Victoria Crowe, Line of Trees (c. unknown). © the artist.
It’s been very chilly across the UK this week ❄️
Here are some beautiful wintery scenes from The Fleming Collection 🌨️
This week’s spotlight: Catherine Eckersall 🖼️
Eckersall’s practice is heavily influenced by Scottish and Irish folklore and landscape.
She paints what is there but not seen: the intimate connection between people and the natural environments that surround them.
2026 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for Scottish art 🎨
From landmark anniversaries to bold new exhibitions, here are the biggest shows on our radar for the next 12 months.
Read here: bit.ly/scottisharte...
David Alison RSA RP (1882-1955), ‘Woman Reading by a Window’ (c. 1925) Ⓒ. The copyright holder.
Alberto Morrocco, ‘Boy Reading’ (c. 1957). Ⓒ The Artist's Estate. All Rights Reserved 2019/Bridgeman Images. The Fleming Collection.’
George Henry (1858-1943), ‘Girl Reading’ (c. 1896). The Fleming Collection.
George Chalmer (1833-1878), ‘Reading by the Fireside’ (c. 1860s). The Fleming Collection.
Lost in a good book 📖
Here are a few of our favourite readers from the Fleming Collection!
If you’re looking for something to fill the last days of the festive break, head to the fantastic Thread That Pulls exhibition at the @nationalgalleries.bsky.social on The Mound, Edinburgh.
We've rounded up some absolute must-see artworks featured in the exhibition: bit.ly/49cQdPD
✨ New Acquisition ✨
William Gear’s 1949 abstract painting 'Interieur, Forme Blanche' joins the Fleming Collection.
Painted in Paris during his time connected with CoBrA, it blends blocks of colour with geometric lines and is an important example of Gear’s Paris period.
John G Crawford, ‘Christmas Day’ (c. 1978), © the artist. The Fleming Collection. A highly detailed painting of a white goat in a barn. The colours are muted and sombre, at the back of the barn, a dirty window lets light in. On the ground at the right of the barn door is a white basin filled with water.
John G Crawford’s ‘Christmas Day’ subverts festive tropes to show life’s steady rhythm continuing undisturbed.
For those who find the holidays overwhelming, this peaceful scene offers a different kind of quiet comfort. 🐐✨
Read Susan Mansfield’s interview with Reinhard Behrens on Naboland, his imagined country that became a lifelong way of seeing the world:
bit.ly/ReinhardBehr...
Samantha Burns, ‘Beyond the Threshold’ (c. 2023) © the artist.
Samantha Burns, ‘Overgrown Hollow’ (c. 2023). © the artist.
Samantha Burns, ‘Restful Glow’ (c. 2023). © the artist.
Samantha Burns, ‘Walls of Comfort’ (c. 2023). © the artist.
This week's spotlight: Samantha Burns 🖼️
She works with photography, mark-making and printmaking to build digital collages that evoke a sense of warmth and joy.
Nature lies at the core of her practice, with a particular focus on routes and pathways.
Rae-Yen Song stands in profile in a large gallery, facing a glowing purple and red tentacle-like installation made of translucent fabric and lights, with hanging lanterns above and an industrial ceiling visible.
Glasgow-based artist Rae-Yen Song has transformed Glasgow's Tramway into an immersive, sub-aquatic world for the artist's most ambitious solo exhibition to date, •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~.
Read our interview with Song here: bit.ly/Rae-Yen-Song
“In painting, you’re always working with flatness. That push and pull between the image itself and the surface.” 🖌️
Marianne Greated’s This Island Earth is now showing at Callendar House, Falkirk.
Read our interview with the artist: bit.ly/mariannegrea...
Calder MacKay, ‘Na h-Oighrean (The Heirs)’, © the artist. A painted group portrait of five young boys standing outdoors; one laughs at the front while others hold small animals and look toward the viewer. A shed and green trees sit in the background.
Calder MacKay, ‘A Just Man’, © the artist. A painting of two people lounging beside a red caravan; one leans in to kiss the other, who reclines in a striped top against a sunny green landscape.
Calder MacKay, ‘Sunday Best’, © the artist. A monochromatic yellow painting of a young girl in a white dress standing on a crate, surrounded by dense, glowing foliage.
Calder MacKay, ‘His Virgil’, © the artist. A painting of a blonde woman seen from behind, looking toward a dark, nighttime street filled with glowing lights; the scene blends into a watery, pale blue reflection on the right.
🎨 This week’s spotlight: Calder MacKay.
His work digs into modern masculinity and family dynamics, often using old photos as a starting point.
Working from his grandparents’ former home, he puts the personal at the centre of his practice.
In 2025, he won the RSA New Artists Award.
Happy St Andrew’s Day! 🏴
We’re celebrating with two appearances of Robert the Bruce in the Fleming Collection.
Eric Robertson paints a famous Bannockburn moment with bold Vorticist energy, while George Jamesone imagines a noble, rugged warrior king ⚔️
A boy standing barefoot in a doorway, shielding his eyes from the sun as he clutches a stack of schoolbooks. The title offers context: The Reluctant Schoolboy.
John Burn’s sensitive handling of light and texture transforms a quiet pause into something poignant. You can almost hear his fed-up sigh!
This preparatory sketch of St Agnes offers a window into artist David Gauld’s creative process, showing how his ideas took form before becoming the completed painting.
Seen here alongside the final work, now held by National Galleries Scotland, it reveals the journey to fully realised composition.
Less than a week to enter our 2025 Young People’s Art Competition! 🖌️
Open to under 16s, all entries must be inspired by works in The Fleming Collection 🖼️
📩 Send artwork (JPEG/PDF) + details to info@flemingcollection.com
Explore for inspo: flemingcollection.co.uk or Art UK 🌟
🎨 Grace Ndiritu’s Compassionate Rebels in Action transforms Cooper Gallery into a space of protest and collective action.
Read Shalmali Shetty’s review of the immersive exhibition, the final sit-in of the Ignorant Art School initiative: bit.ly/gracendiritu
🎨 This week’s spotlight: Aoife Cawley, a printmaker and textiles artist working between Ireland and Scotland.
Recent residencies include Creative Spark and the Hugo Burge Foundation, and she received the RSA John Kinross Scholarship in 2024.
Ken Currie, ‘The Calton Activist’ (c. 1987). © the artist’s estate.
Craigie Aitchison, ‘Crucifixion’ (c. 1993). © The artist’s estate. All rights reserved. 2019/ Bridgeman Images.
Alberto Morrocco, ‘Tay Bridge, Winter’ (c. 1977) (cropped). © The artist’s estate. All rights reserved.
James Guthrie, ‘The Bridge, Crowland’ (c. 1882). The Fleming Collection.
Dog is man’s best friend 🐶
Here are a few of our favourite four-legged muses from the Fleming Collection 🎨
#ScottishArt #FlemingCollection #DogsInArt
