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Elaine Allison

Edinburgh
A sculpture graduate of Duncan College of Art and Design, I now work in a variety of media making 2D and 3D objects.

Trained as a sculptor, and more recently pursuing an interest in printmaking, the subject matter, materials and processes of my work are diverse. Recurring themes include identity and the family tree, the natural and the built environment, and a desire to preserve and promote objects discarded, lost or undervalued. The processes I use range from bronze casting to embroidery and just about everything in between, with the choice of materials determined by the story I am trying to tell. 

Career path: I graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee in 1998 with a BA Honours in Fine Art (Sculpture). After graduation I spent three months in Italy on a drawing scholarship. I have been involved in a number of projects with artists from various European countries and have participated in projects in Norway, Germany and Scotland. In addition to my own practice, I work collaboratively with artist Patricia Bray on site specific installation projects and we have undertaken artists' residencies in Norway, Germany and the USA (see under Allison and Bray in the artists search)

 

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016 - BRANCH LINES, Burgh Halls, Linlithgow

2015 - TREE, The Shores, Plockton

2014 - LOST AND FOUND, The Meffan Gallery, Forfar

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 

2023 - CONSTRUCT joint exhibition with Chris Sleath, Upright Gallery, Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh

2022 - INNER LANDSCAPE  Art@47, High Street, Pittenweem 

2021 - SOLACE Edinburgh PrIntmakers, Castel Mills, Edinburgh    

2021 - INSECTARIUM - FASCINATION AND FEAR Scottish Ornithologists' Club, Aberlady

2019 - TIME SPENT AMONG TREES Society of Scottish Artists, Meffan Gallery, Forfar  

2019 - UTOPIA - WHAT'S YOURS? Society of Scottish Artists, Gracefield Art Centre, Dumfries, then Kirkcudbright Galleries

2016 (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007) - SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ARTISTS Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh2015

2016 - EMPIRE, The Old Ropeworks, Montrose

2015  (2014, 2012, 2011, 2010)  - RSA OPEN, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh                                                           

2014 - WIR SIND PAUL - ODER DAS UNPERFEKTE PARADIES, Neues Kunsthaus, Ahrenshoop, Germany  (with Patricia Bray)                                                                                                                    

2014 - RECOLLECTION, Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton, Devon   

2013 - Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh  

2012 (2011, 2010) - Fisher Gallery Summer Exhibition, Fisher Gallery , Pitttenweem, Fife

2011 - RECOLLECT, Fisher Gallery 2, Pittenweem, Fife  

2010 - FORMS OF NARRATIVE, Perthshire Visual Arts Forum, Dunkeld, Perthshire 

2009 - ON SCREEN, Perth Concert Hall, Perth

2009 - Pittenweem Art Festival, Pittenweem, Fife

2009 - RSA SPRING OPEN, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

2009 - SCENE 1, SCENE WITHOUT SCENE, Threshold Art Space, Perth Theatre, Perth 

2006 (2004, 2001) - Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition, RSA, Edinburgh

2005 - Magazine - Contemporary Scottish Art, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh

2003 - Thompson's Gallery, Marylebone High Street, London 

2002 - Royal Glasgow Institute Annual Exhibition, McLellan Galleries, Glasgow

2001 - A Spatial Odyssey, The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh

2001 - Glasgow Art Fair (with Frames Contemporary Gallery, Perth)

2000 - Connections, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh 

2000 - One year on, The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh

2000 - Visual Arts Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

CURATED PROJECTS 

2016 - LICHTSPIELE, a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Schärding, Austria

2010 - NESTING, a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray at Heartwood (woodland sculpture trail), Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2010 - NEW STRAINS, with Patricia Bray, Coast Festival, Banff

2009 - HOMELAND 2009, with Patricia Bray, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

2009 - MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE, a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Cupar Arts Festival, Cupar, Fife

2008 - CANOPY, a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Perthshire Visual Arts Forum, Dunkeld, Perthshire

2008 - SSA/Stavanger Capital of Culture 2008 North Sea Project, with Patricia Bray, Attic Salt, Thistle Street North East Lane, Edinburgh

2007 - SURVEY -Contemporary Sculpture from Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, with Patricia Bray, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh Projects

2007 - Gift / Gave, - a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Sand, Norway

2006 - Homeland - a site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Sculpture Space, Utica, New York, USA

2005 - Shift - site specific installation with artist Patricia Bray, Newhailes - a National Trust for Scotland property, Musselburgh, East Lothian

2004 - Path/ways - a site specific installation with Patricia Bray, Culross Palace - a National Trust for Scotland property, Culross Palace, Fife

2003 - New Strains - site specific installation with Patricia Bray, Victorian greenhouse at Lauriston Castle, Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

2000 - Between the Waters, Hanover, Germany

PRIZES, AWARDS & FUNDING

2015 - Visual Arts Award, City of Edinburgh Council

2014 - The Southfield Prize, Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

2013 - Meffan Gallery and Museum Solo Exhibition Prize, 2013, Society of Scottish Artists Exhibition, RSA, Edinburgh 

2013 - Hope Scott Trust award

2012 - Edinburgh Laser Cutting Studio Prize, Society of Scottish Artists Exhibition, RSA, Edinburgh

2012 - Visual Arts Award, City of Edinburgh Council

2010 - Visual Arts Award, City of Edinburgh Council

2008 - CANOPY – Scottish Arts Council (with Patricia Bray)

2007 - SSA Website Award, SSA Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy

2006 - Abbeyview Arts Project – Fife Council (with Patricia Bray)

2006 - Nexus – Fife Council (with Patricia Bray)

2006 - Sculpture Space Residency – SAC (with Patricia Bray)

2005 - SHIFT – East Lothian Council, SAC (with Patricia Bray)

2004 - PATH[WAYS] – Fife Council (with Patricia Bray)

2003 - NEW STRAINS – Scottish Arts Council, The Hope Scott Trust, City of Edinburgh Council and Fife Council (with Patricia Bray)

1999 - NS Macfarlane Charitable Trust Award, RSA Annual Exhibition

1998 - John Kinross Scholarship 

1998 - Chalmers-Jervise Prize, RSA Students Exhibition

 

 

 

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