We're now fully into the Autunno exhibition, and what a fantastic exhibition it is. Last night was an excellent opportunity to get together with other art lovers to see some new work and have a wee chat about art. And there was the added bonus of my canapes thrown in to the equation. All in all making a grand evening.

Newcomer to the gallery, artist Sharon Mitchell, proved to be popular at the opening, and one of our favourite artists, Davy Brown's pieces were receiving wide admiration too.

There is a fantastic range of styles, medium and colourin this new exhibition.... truly something for everyone.
 

First year anniverasy artists -
Deborah Phillips

Peter King

During this exhibition we celebrate our first anniversary! I can't believe we've been showing fab art for a whole year already. The time is surely going very quickly (as are a lot of our paintings - people obviously are having excellent taste in art these days!)

To celebrate our first anniversary, we have invited some new artists, along with some of our old favourites, many of whom showed last year in our first exhibition.

I'm also baking mini muffins for the preview this Friday. EVERYONE is welcome:

Friday 7th Septemeber
6pm - 9pm

Please feel free to come along, not only to see the fantastic art in the new exhibition, but also to sample some of my delightful culinary experiments. I won't be offended if you just drink wine and eat crisps though. Have a cheeky wee sneaky peek at the exhibition here (but don't tell anyone).

Marsha

Davy Brown

and Peter Luti

All showed in our first exhibition
and return for Autunno!

Beyond Time

Passing Over Islay

 

Yaaaaay! It appears that the sun does still exist. It's been trying to break through for a couple of days now, and I have reliable information (courtesy of BBC weather) that it's to be nice and sunny and hot for the whole week. Hhhmmm, we'll see.

However optimism is the key, and I'd like to see you all frequent the gallery in shorts and other suitably summer attire. Admired pieces recently include Philip Raskin's landscapes which are capturing everyone's imagination of big skies over the west of Scotland. Truly Lovely!
 

Hebridian Blues

Head for Home

Francis Boag's Capri Sun
 

Clare Workman Millinery

Summer I ask you? I am ever optimistic in the clothing department and have been donning skirts for the past month in the hope that one of these days it'll feel like summer. Alas, it is a lost cause I fear, and more often than not, resort to wellies for the walk home from work.

Perhaps it was just a little ambitious of me to call the current exhibition 'Viene il Sole' (Here comes the Sun). However, even if the weather is a bit rubbish, the summer exhibition here certainly is not! Our artists have done a most excellent job of creating atmospheric summer scenes and the gallery is positively a solarium of colour and warmth.

Check out the exhibition pieces here...
Current Exhibition

We are absolutely delighted to welcome Francis Boag to our family of artists whose vibrant, colourful paintings have been capturing a sense of recollection and pleasure. Simply excellent!

And for something a bit different and new, we have a fantastic piece by Clare Workman,  taking pride of place in the cabinet. It's a hat and a half! And just to follow suit we even have a designer tiara in exhibition too. Ahhh, don't you just love the summer wedding season?

Marsha
 

Wild Flowers Ury



Tiaras - fun for any occassion
(especially doing the washing up)

Proof that the Sun does shine on Galleria Luti (occassionally)

Peita Luti being put to good use in preparation for the opening

A fantastic mix of art

06th May 2007

Time has been whizzing by so quickly, I've hardly been able to keep up! So we are now into the completely fabulous exhibition;

Sole e Pioggia

(homework of the week:  use this as a good excuse to swat up on your Italian to find the translation). And what a start it has been! Vibrance of colour and strong architectural influence and been brought to Galleria Luti by the wonderful George Birrell, whose bold pieces both contrast and complement the colourful watercolours of Martin Oates.

We are also delighted to welcome Angela Lawrence, Suzanne Stuart Davies, Anne Duffy and Kathleen Woods who have brought a flavour of Dumfries & Galloway into the central belt with their pieces.

Of course, we've welcomed back some of our favourites, who have all come up with the goods (as we knew they would!), and what Galleria Luti Exhibition would be complete without a fresh supply of Peter Luti Paintings?! Cheers dad!

In other exciting news, my sister, Peita (the Luti that got away!) came home for a wee holiday after emigrating to Canada nearly a year ago with husband Andrew. Needless to say I put her to work straight away in the jewellery cabinets (which actually look fantastic).

(But don't tell her I said that)
Marsha

Sole e Pioggia Exhibition

Great interest in the new art works

Artist George Birrell chats to guests

Primavera - the new Spring exhibition, packed full of colour!
(..and artist Peter Luti  scoffing a bacon buttie too)

Where on earth has the time gone?  Our good intentions of updating our website as events are about to happen have gone by the wayside and so here is some retrospective news.  'Primavera' (Spring exhibition) opened last Friday.  This exhibition displays paintings, jewellery and ceramics by artists new to the gallery, as well as new work by favourite artists. 

We are particularly delighted in Angela Harvey's unique necklaces, brooches and wild, wild women, all made from a highly creative technique of working with wool.  We love it! 

Primavera  hosts a fantastic variety of art work for sale

An unfinished Peter Luti piece for 'Primavera'

Ooh, love is in the air in Galleria Luti today in anticipation for valentines day. There's plenty to keep your loved one sweet! But enough of that....

So Christmas came and Christmas went and now we are in throes of wind, rain, sleet and cold. Our current exhibition, Piccoli Quadri Per Natale, has been well recieved and so we thank artists and customers alike for their support.

Now we are making plans for 'Primavera' (Spring) Exhibition which opens on Fri 2nd March, which will show artworks by new artists to Galleria Luti as well as artists who have previously exhibited with us.

A new Peter Luti
Black Series for 'Primavera'

Well it's almost CHRISTMAS!! Oh how the time flies. We have a fantastic exhibition at the moment which will run until the end of February.

Check out our Seasonal Opening Times over winter.

Told you the updates would be more regular! Check out Dad's new paintings.... they're pretty fab (once again... rubbish photo quality thanks to my amazing skills with a camera!).

Had a nice wee chat with a reporter guy from the Stirling Observer this morning for a business supplement which is coming out soon. Watch this space for my World-Wide fame! (well.... Stirling area fame anyway). There's some fantastically cheesy photos too.
Marsh  

Sandie Hard at Work
(notice the cup of tea!)

Dad's Coveted Snow scene
Snow Drift Road - West Coast

The working heater -
My new best friend.

Well, the opening of 'Connections' was a fantastic day. Thanks greatly go to Campbell's Shortbread for the 'Very-Nearly-Home-Made-Shortbread!' (for any of you who don't know, we live right next to the shortbread factory, so it's the closest thing you're ever going to get to home-made shortbread from the Lutis).

Popular on the opening day were Colin Maker's landscape photographs, and his special photography piece received many admiring comments. As a photographer with a special passion and interest in unsigned bands, Colin wanted to portray the music images he captured in a more expressive way than simply hung in a frame. It was as he was working with one of the bands that he came up with the idea for 'Unseen', a photograph covered guitar piece which is currently displayed in Connections. The photos eclipsing the guitar are all images of unsigned Glasgow Bands at gigs or in rehearsal.

Peter (dad's) paintings continue to be very popular. He has received compliments for in particular his snow scene, Snow Drift Road - West Coast, and as a result I have asked him to paint a few more snow scenes for the forthcoming Christmas Exhibition. He says it depends how nice I am to him (love you, dad).

Thanks to the ever plumiting temperatures I have now been told how to work our brand new heaters. Yaaaay! It's a delightful experience to sit and work at the computer without worrying about how you look with icicles dripping off your nose. Also, MUCH easier to type without gloves. And I'm less itchy without the woolly tights. My slippers remain on the feet though.... one step at a time.

 Please do have a good look at Connections to see the new artists we have in. There's some absolutely fabulous things in at the moment.

I suppose it's almost time for me to start thinking about the Christmas Exhibition.........
Marsha

Hard at work -
like mother like daughter
 

Campbell's Shortbread -
Yummy!

Colin Maker's 'Unseen'

Other ways to procrastinate...

Jewellery making!

I've got so much work to do for the new exhibition that I thought I'd procrastinate and write a wee bit on the website since I've been a bit rubbish on the updates of late...... I've got a good excuse, I PROMISE!

1. We've been quite busy.

2. I've had a problem with 'sticky keys' on my keyboard (it took me about 4 hours to write the previous 'News' entry). I have now rectified the problem. Hurrah. Regular updates here we come.

Anyway, I'm awfully excited about all the lovely arty things that have been arriving at the gallery for Connections. It's going to be a fantastic show. Better go and do some work now. Cheerio.
Marsha

The new Exhibition Prep

PREPARING FOR CONNECTIONS EXHIBITION

Connections Exhibition Sun 22nd Oct - Wed 29th Nov.

The Lutis have all been preparing for the new exhibition in their own way (don't worry, Mum and Dad - I won't tell anyone about your wee trip to Italy!)... and things are set in place for what promises to be a fabulous show. Please click CONNECTIONS for more details of the exhibiting artists.
Marsha

My photographic skills are astounding.
Well..... not really.

NEW PETER LUTI PAINTINGS

Dad's paintings are so popular that I almost sold out.... so I FORCED him to paint me some more. They are available to view HERE. (Sorry about the rubbish photo quality.... my fault!)

Marsh

FIRST WEEK OF GALLERIA LUTI IS A HUGE SUCCESS!
So we are coming to the end of the first week of business here at the gallery and I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support, well wishes and enthusiasm for the gallery which has been given to us by everyone who has been in. Thank you! We had a little preview of the first exhibition which Colin Maker kindly documented with fabulous photos.

A major source of discussion in the gallery his week has been the works of Dugald McInnes, whose Scottish Slate and Venetian Gold Leaf Smalti pieces have been a great talking point. One of the reasons for this could be the unusual nature of Dugie's technique - I've yet to come across another artist who combines slate and smalti for hanging art, resulting in the dramatic contrasts which Dugie's pieces produce. Quite something special.

Another artist who is receiving compliments for (in particular) his sunset paintings is Davy Brown. A few people have mentioned that his paintings convey a feeling of warmth unlike any other painter's. The sunset scenes draw you in to the painting through the dramatic use of colour and tone, and no matter how driech the Callander weather is (as it often is!), the paintings can always warm you up.

With so many gorgeous things to look at all day, I'm absolutely amazed that I am able to get any work done at all! As my friend Sarah said at the beginning of the week...'Marsha, you have the best job in the world.' As it happens, I think she may be right (this once).
Marsha

PS. Music of the moment in the gallery is Kate Rusby. Love it!

NEW OPENING DATE DECIDED!
Galleria Luti will be up and running as of Saturday the 26th August 2006. The first exhibition, 'Square Art' will run for 2 months. Please refer to the Exhibitions section for more details.

Ok, so it's actually taken a month for the Water Board to finally say they will be coming to do the work..... but that day has FINALLY COME! Tonight, Monday the 17th July at 6pm - a day to go down in history, the W.B. will at last come and give us a water supply (apparently!). From then it'll be all systems go.

On a lighter note, we now have some lovely cabinets and shelves to house all the fantastic art which will (one day soon I hope) be shown in the gallery.

Things are looking up (just a pity it's taken so long).
Marsha

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!

At long last we have had contact with the Water Board and should have the work started very soon.

A wee man called today from the W.B. to say that he will be coming to the gallery on Tuesday for the pre-work inspection.

The completion certificate is now in sight!!!
Marsha

Upstairs Gallery View
 

Gallery Front Door

The painting (unfortunately the Dulux variety) of the gallery is now almost finished, as is the joinery and plumbing. Thanks go to John Hutchison for the gift of running water.

We are still, however, waiting for the water board to do their stuff, but I am ever optimistic that we can aim for an early July Opening - just watch this space!

Coming back to the painting (of the walls) I have to say a big thank you to Mr Jimmy Deans for all his hard work with the decorating, and gracing me with a song and a whistle every time I go into the gallery. Quite possibly the finest painter we will have in the gallery who won't EVER be mentioned in the artists list. Cheers Jimmy..... you are the sunshine of my life.

Marsha

Upstairs Gallery View
 

Gallery Back Door

The Joinery
 

Sprinkler Guy

Progress is being made (albeit a wee bit slower than I would like) in the world of sprinkler installation. We now have had the sprinkler heads installed (hurrah!), meaning that we can get on with laying the flooring upstairs. Before doing this we have to strengthen the joists, which is being tackled as I write. We've got good old Greg on the case so shouldn't be a problem. No job's too tricky for Wonder-Greg!

Now that we've got the sprinkler heads we just need water to go through them - so we're now in the process of waiting for the water board to come and put a new pipe in the ground.

My suggestion was to carry water-pistols around with me in the gallery and if a fire broke out I could do my world-famous John Wayne impression. Sprinkler problem obsolete - everyone happy.

Building Control said no. Strange that.

Marsha

The Upstairs Gallery
 

Sprinkler Guy's Van -

The AquaBlaze-mobile

Unfortunately, due to circumstances outwith our control, we have to postpone the opening of the gallery. We are not in a position to give an exact opening date yet, but please keep checking the website and we will keep you as up-to-date as possible.

(a very sad) Marsha

New staircase installed:

WE HAVE STAIRS!! After a couple of weeks risking life and limb climbing up a ladder to get to the upper gallery, we now have a lovely wooden staircase.

Although the rest of the building looks slightly like a building site you can definitely see the potential.

All interior walls downstairs in the gallery have been knocked down, as has the large staircase which originally was right in the centre of the space downstairs. We are currently using a ladder to get to first floor (VERY scary!).
Immediate tasks: There's loads of wee plastering bits to be done - new flooring to be laid (and new ceiling) - electrics to put in and new staircase to be built.

Mum and I have been very busy with office-based tasks, and things are coming together well.

For more information on the first exhibition (dates yet to be confirmed), please visit the Square Art page.

Marsha Luti