Bet Low: An Island on Your Doorstep
The centenary of the birth of the Scottish artist Bet Low is to be marked through a collaboration between the Reid Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art and the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, Orkney.
About Bet Low: An Island on Your Doorstep
| 11th Jan 2025 to 2nd Aug 2025 | |
| 10am - 4.30pm Monday - Saturday | |
|
The Glasgow School of Art The Glasgow School of Art Renfrew Street, Glasgow City Centre G3 6RF |
|
| This is a free event | |
| Visit the event website here | |
| Facebook information can be found here | |
| Follow gsaexhibitions on Instagram | |
The centenary of the birth of the Scottish artist Bet Low (1924-2007) is to be marked in both Glasgow and Orkney through a collaboration between the Reid Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art and the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, Orkney.
This exhibition, celebrating the centenary of her birth will reflect on Bet Low’s working life, from early studies of Glasgow to the late Orkney landscapes and go some way in reassessing this important Scottish artist’s contribution to Scottish art and culture.
Both Glasgow and Orkney played a crucial part in the artist’s life and work, forming the backdrop to important stages in her long career. This exhibition is part of Glasgow 850.
The exhibition will also contain reference to Low’s wider contribution to Scottish arts, in Glasgow, from her role co-founding the New Charing Cross Gallery (1963-8), to her other activities with Glasgow Unity Theatre, the Clyde Group and open-air exhibitions on the railings on Glasgow Botanics (1956).
The exhibition in Reid Gallery, GSA, is 11 Jan – 8 Feb 2025, whilst in the Pier Arts Centre 1 March – 7 June 2025.
Loans are from public and private collections, including The Bet Low Trust, Centre for Contemporary Art Glasgow (CCA) Archive, Culture Perth & Kinross Museum & Galleries, The Glasgow School of Art, Lillie Art Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, National Library of Scotland, North Lanarkshire Council, Orkney Islands Council, The Pier Arts Centre Collection, Royal Scottish Academy Diploma Collection and University of Glasgow Library Archives and Special Collections.
The loans and exhibition are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.
Bet Low RSA RSW RGI D.Lit. was born in Gourock in 1924. She attended Glasgow School of Art (1942-45), during the period of the Second World War, gaining a diploma in Drawing and Painting. In 1945, Low undertook a three-month diploma course at Patrick Allan-Fraser School of Art, Hospitalfield, Arbroath. Low attended teacher training at Glasgow’s Jordanhill Training College in 1945. However, she did not wish to teach and left the course, to become involved in Glasgow Unity Theatre. She helped paint set scenery, did occasional set design and assisted with publicity.
In 1946 she joined the Clyde Group of Writers and Artists, going on to be part of their ‘Art and Peace Festival and Exhibition’ in McLellan Galleries, Glasgow. In 1956, with her husband Tom Macdonald and others, she co-organised a series of open-air exhibitions on the railings of Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens. She joined the Glasgow Group Society in the mid-1960s, taking part in many of its exhibitions. In 1963 she co-founded and was one of the directors of the New Charing Cross Gallery in Glasgow (1963-1968). Low was elected a Professional Member of the Society of Scottish Artists in 1964 and was an invited Professional Member of the Scottish Society of Women Artists.
Whilst Glasgow was to remain home, in 1967 Low and Macdonald bought a small cottage in Lyness, Hoy (Orkney). This sustained relationship with place had a great impact on her practice. Low had several solo shows through Cyril Gerber Fine Art, including ‘The Forties, Glasgow People and Places: Drawings and Paintings, Tom Macdonald & Bet Low’ (1984). In 1985 she had a significant retrospective, selected by Cordelia Oliver, at the Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, which toured Scotland to Dumfries, Perth and the Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. Her work was acquired for both public and private collections in her lifetime. Low was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1988 and made a Royal Scottish Academy Academician in 2005. In 1999 she was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from Glasgow University. Bet Low died at the age of 82 in Glasgow.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Glasgow, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Glasgow? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Sponsored Links
Similar events you might like...
Whitehouse Artists Exhibition
Six Foot Gallery's latest exhibition showcases work from Glasgow artists Shona Dougall, Christine Sinclair, Sue Steele, and Jo Sunshine, all of whom part of the Whitehouse Artists group.
READ MORE
Dark Days: 10th Anniversary Screening & Discussion
The 10 anniversary of Dark Days, a participatory event where 100 people spent the night in Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art, is being celebrated at this special film screening and talk!
READ MORE
Battlefield Window Wanderland
Following the huge success of their previous Window Wanderland events, Battlefield will once again turn into a magical outdoor gallery between Saturday 15th and Tuesday 18th February!
READ MORE
Grand Art Exhibition
Annan Gallery are delighted to be starting their 2025 programme with their popular 'Grand Art' exhibition - a large mixed show featuring a wide selection of artists!
READ MORE
Mixed Exhibition
Compass Gallery exhibits a fresh and exciting combination of original paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture by several of their regular exhibitors.
READ MORE
I Like Things I Remember - An Exhibition by Jonathan McKinstry
Jonathan McKinstry's solo exhibition 'I like things I remember' is a collection of paintings inspired by childhood memories of fun, games, and tasty treats!
READ MORE
Creative Hearts!
This LGBT+ history month, join GoMA for a family friendly series of drop-in workshops during the February half term!
READ MORE
Model Rail Scotland
Model Rail Scotland is the biggest model railway show held in Scotland and is a must for every railway enthusiast, don't miss it at the SEC Glasgow between the 21st and 23rd February!
READ MORE
Unnad - Indigenous by Calum Angus Mackay
Join Calum Angus Mackay at the Gaelic bookshop as he discusses the stories behind his art and photography.
READ MORESponsored Links
Find other events in Glasgow
Sponsored Links