Hidden Lane Gallery

We've just launched a wee fun Art Competition. Prizes of vouchers to spend in the Lane. There's a wee craft market on this Sunday too - great chance to do a first visit for inspiration for your entry. Doesn't close until 2nd November so few months to work on a masterpiece. Entries can be inspired by any aspect of the Hidden Lane. https://www.thehiddenlaneglasgow.com/art-competition/

We had a visit to the Gallery by local Keith who had found in a box a copy of Joe's Glasgow Review magazine (he published it quarterly). The Summer 1972 edition, so not long after the Saratoga trunk was opened and Margaret Watkins' photos discovered.

We were amused by some of the adverts in it - who remembers the days when stamps were 3p and you could buy a seat at the Kelvin Hall to see the SNO for 30p! 😱

Happy International Women's Day - a snippet on our favourite woman from the newly released "Margaret Watkins: Life & Work” written by Mary O'Connor and published by the Art Canada Institute. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/margaret-watkins/

"In her own self-portrait, Watkins raises her head to look down on the viewer. This is not a meek woman. As she reportedly said of her photographs, “They are unusually interesting, sometimes beautiful—but never, I hope, ‘pretty.’” So when her self-portrait was published framed in an oval and touched up to suggest lipstick and mascara, she railed against being made to look like a “snake-eyed vamp.” She was an independent woman, not interested in using female charms or fitting into the stereotypes of demure maiden or seductive femme fatale. Rather, she was a “New Woman,” along with other empowered women of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, determined to challenge gender norms, live independently, and have a role in public life. Watkins joined others “making revolutionary changes in life and art.”"

We've had some very lovely visitors to the Gallery over the last few weeks.

Claire and David traveled from Newcastle and were delighted that Joe was here to share the Watkins story.

"Just a short email to say thanks so much for making our visit to the Hidden Lane Gallery on Friday a special one. We were visiting from Newcastle and we were delighted to be able to see the Margaret Watkins photos in the gallery as well as pick up the two books and the print of her work - the latter which is now a fabulous feature of our living room, as pictured ! . . .

Glasgow is a very special city and wherever we go in the city we meet very special people! That was definitely our experience when we were in the gallery on Friday and we were delighted to spend some time chatting and learning a bit more about the fantastic photography of Margaret Watkins and the work the Hidden Gallery has done to help celebrate her art. Very much a highlight of our time in Glasgow . . ."

What an amazing day we've had in the Hidden Lane today. After a great piece about us done by the lovely folk over at Glasgow Live the lane and the Gallery have been swarming with folk enjoying some early Spring sunshine and discovering a new corner of Glasgow. Our Truffles is the newly crowned selfie king of Finnieston.

A few pics from a very enjoyable visit to the very well curated 'GLEAN' at Edinburgh's City Art Centre yesterday. Twelve of Margaret Watkins photographs are featured.