Henry is the chief restorer of paintings from the company which has restored many of the works in our galleries,will describe his work. Our Madonna and Child was a recent restoration.

This talk will be at 2pm in the Galleries Activity Room, and is delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and the Grand Lodge of Scotland.  It will explore

• What literacy truly means in today’s world.
• The current literacy landscape in Scotland and it’s impact on individuals and society.
• Practical ways in which organisations can help make a difference.

Jill is a member of the Friends and is an avid world traveller. Mongolia is a little known country with a chequered history and an extreme geography that makes travelling difficult.

You will be welcomed in with a social evening in the Galleries Café. A light buffet with wine will be served. Members and guests will be entertained by a group of young singers trained by Rosemary Nairne. Opera singers of the future? Tickets, £15 will be available from the galleries and committee members. Full sales details and how you can support the Tombola will follow . Arrangements will be aided if an indication of probable attendance is submitted to HKerrfokg@aol.com / Phone 07780 683451

The draw for the Friends KG 100 prize draw took place on Sunday 21st Sep and was made by Griselda Hill who had donated the first prize of a Wemyss Ware Cat. 

The number of the winning ticket was 2635

The other prize winning tickets were:

2268 - 0499 - 2950 - 1006 - 1141 - 0505 - 1860 - 2484 - 2332 - 0437 - 0347 - 0915 - 2630 - 1209 - 2275

All prize winners will be notified individually.

Thanks to all for your participation.

This talk will take place in the Activities Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries at 2pm. Dr More, a former physics teacher and Rector of Balwearie High School, will help you get a sense of proportion. His excellent illustrations will add to your feeling of wonder and appreciation of the universe of which we are a tiny part.

There is no charge for attendance but we welcome donations.

This talk will be held at 2pm in the Activities Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries.

Please note that we are anticipating a strong interest in this talk and the Activity Room has a maximum seating capacity of 40. The Friends wish to avoid disappointment caused by over capacity and consequently this event will be ticketed. Tickets will be available from the Galleries reception desk to members only from Wednesday 30th July until Wednesday 6th August after which non-members may also obtain tickets.

Activities Room of Galleries 2pm

From Rough to Ruff ! "Now to the banquet we press"

by

Robin Ozog

Robin is a weel kent figure in the field of

Kirkcaldy Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

He has also enjoyed a successful career in top class catering events.

Free Admission but donations are welcome.

This event will be held in the Activities Room of Kirkcaldy Galleries at 2pm. Admission is free and open to non members. Donations are welcome

During the Age of Enlightenment the Science of Geology was pioneered by Scotsmen such as James Hutton and Hugh Millar. They established the age of Planet Earth and how scenery developed.

This talk will take place in the Activity Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries at 2pm. There is no charge for attending but donations are welcomed.

                                                                 PLEASE VOTE for our project!

In 2024, a community-led campaign called 'You Decide' was launched to allocate £300,000 for community improvements in the Kirkcaldy area.

• Community Collaboration The 'You Decide' campaign is a collaboration between Fife Council and local communities, overseen by a steering group of residents from various areas. It invites applications for projects addressing priorities like cost-of-living crisis, community spirit, and local economies, with funding ranging from £500 to £15,000. 
• Kirkcaldy Galleries Centenary Kirkcaldy Galleries will celebrate its centenary in 2025 with various exhibitions and activities. The Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries have submitted a bid for a travel fund to help schools visit the galleries, addressing transportation costs from all parts of the surrounding areas.

The next part of the campaign kicks off with a public event at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, on Saturday March 15, from 10am-4pm.  This event will give members of the public the opportunity to browse information on all short-listed projects before casting their vote(s) for those they want to see funded.  

Overview information on all submitted projects is also available to view) at the Our Decide webpage.

Thereafter, for the following two weeks - March 16 - 30 - people will also have the opportunity to vote online for the projects they wish to see funded via the Our Decide web page.

                                                     PLEASE VOTE for our project!

Do join us on this date in the Activities Room at 2pm in Kikcaldy Galleries. The event is free to attend but donations are warmly welcomed.

This event will be at 2p, in the Activities Room of Kirkcaldy Galleries on Wednesday 13th November. The maximum number that the room can hold is 40.

The event is free but we welcome donations.

Our next Friends event will be held in the Activities Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries at 2pm.

Most Langtonians are aware that linen mills were common in the Kirkcaldy area
into last century. The B listed Silverburn Mill is undergoing a major restoration. Work is unfinished but some activities have already taken place. Fiona Young is Activities Coordinator of the project and will bring us up to date on the future of this multi million pound investment.
She will also demonstrate the actual conversion of converting flax to linen!

Botanic Gardens - Limited parking, admission £5 (concession)
10 am to 5 pm - 18 acre sit including a rock garden, rhododendron
glade and pond.
Kinburn House Museum -Large car park. Free admission. Café.
Explore the town’s fascinating past as a centre of Scottish and
global culture through an amazing collection of displays, objects
and images. They help to tell its story from the 12th centre to the
current day.
Members may wish to visit both sites or only one. The gardens are
magnificent at this time of year. It is suggested that members
individually choose which to visit first, possible influenced by
weather or parking then meet for lunch. Lunch may be block
booked for 1.00 pm at the newly updated café at Kinburn.
It is assumed that lunch is required unless you state to the
contrary.
Both places are walkable from the bus station or car sharing may
be available,
Members wishing to attend please submit names and home
addresses (if requesting car share) to:
Ian Gilchrist: iangillie@blueyonder.co.uk or 01592 264851 by
Friday 7th June, indicating space available for car sharing or
request for place in a car.

The society, which was founded in 1882, was formed to study natural science by the collection of specimens, by reading of communications, lectures and excursions. Bill Brown, a former President, will outline the activities of the society which included promoting a museum for Kirkcaldy. The gentleman is John Sang, the first president of the Society.

The meeting will be held in the Activities Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries starting at 2pm. Admission is free but donations are very welcome.

Why do the Lomond Hills exist? What and where is the Bunnet Stane? Why does the May Island continue to provide a sanctuary for sea birds? These and many more questions will be answered in an illustrated account of the very varied geology which has produced our everchanging landscape. This event will be held in the activities room in Kirkcaldy Galleries at 2pm.

Joe is the Chairman and a Trustee of the Falkland Stewardship Trust which has responsibility for significant parts of the Falkland Estate in Fife, and who also leads on archaeological investigations on the estate. This will be at 2pm in the Activities Room of Kirkcaldy Galleries.
 

David worked in Information Technology in England for many years, and recently returned 'home' to Fife. David works with wood and resin to create interesting and unusual pieces ranging from jewellery and bowls to lamps and tables. This talk will be at 2pm in the activities room at Kirkcaldy Galleries.
 

A reminder about the upcoming guided tour of the Flooring the World Exhibition in the Kirkcaldy Galleries. The tour will start at 2.00 pm on Wednesday 24th January. You don’t have to book a place but it would be helpful if you could let Marion Lackie know that you intend to come. It would give Lily and her team an idea of how many people to expect. You can contact Marion at

torbain@gmail.com

This Friends visit is being co-ordinated by Ian Gilchrist and you can contact him on 01592 264851 to see if there are still spaces and also enquire about transport arrangements.

More information about the Musuem is here https://standrewsmuseum.com/

ABERDOUR ART FESTIVAL JULY 28-30 2023

Gabi Paterson, who is a participating artist and a Friend of Kirkcaldy Galleries, would like to extend an open invitation to all Friends to visit Aberdour Art Festival this summer.

The opening night on 28th July is from 6-9pm in various venues throughout Aberdour.

On Saturday 29th July the exhibits may be viewed from 11am-5pm and on Sunday 30th from 12noon-4pm.

There are no entrance fees and the organisers recommend using the car park at the station or taking the train.

Please come along! You will be made most welcome!

This will be a guided tour. The ancient Church has been undergoing renovation and in the course of the works several interesting discoveries have been made of arches and stairways which have been concealed for centuries. The Church has many associations with Scottish royalty: there is a royal apartment concealed in the tower for instance. A group of one of our Committee members' friends had a guided tour in the autumn and all found it fascinating. The visit will also take in the Stob Cross, the Terraces and the Motte where justice was dispensed in the Middle Ages. If it is a fine day, the outing can be extended to a walk in Balbirnie Park and there are several good places for lunch in Markinch. The visit begins at 11.00 and there is no charge, though donations to the Church would be welcome.

James Pittendrigh MacGillivray, was a Scottish sculptor,artist, musician and poet. His works include public statues of Robert Burns in Irvine and Gladstone in Edinburgh. This presentation by Louise Boreham will take place in the Activities Room in Kirkcaldy Galleries starting at 2.30pm. The event is free to attend but donations to the Friends will be very welcome.

Lily Barnes, the Engagement Curator at Kirkcaldy Galleries, will give an illustrated talk on linoleum, the flooring that made Kirkcaldy a household name worldwide. It will be held in the Activities Room in the Galleries at 2.30pm and is free to attend, but donations will be welcomed.

Local historial Bill Brown will be giving a talk on the History of Kirkcaldy Art Club which I am sure will be of interest to a wide range of club members past and present, and also to non-members! It will be held in the Activities Room at Kirkcaldy Galleries and start at 2.30pm. Entrance will be free but donations will be welcomed.

27Oct and/or 12Nov 1000-1230 A private guided tour of Hopetoun House including a visit to the tapestry conservation area. The cost would be £15 and, being off season, provide very good viewing conditions. This requires a sizeable party to be run at this price so please consider a visit. Both of above events could involve car sharing. It would be greatly appreciated if members would notify me asap of numbers wishing to attend and whether they would offer spaces in their car or wish to accept spaces Please state which date you prefer or if both possible ;a decision can be made for 2 visits, I or no visit. Suggestions for future events will be extremely welcome.
Replies to Ian Gilchrist on 01592264851or e-mail iangillie@blueyonder.co.uk

The Art of Crossing by Kate Downie RSA     St Bryce Kirk at 3pm.

Spanning decades and Estuaries, artist Kate Downie has  made central to her practice the investigation of the Art of Crossing. She discovered the Forth Bridges in 1985 for her first solo exhibition in Edinburgh, and has since created many prints, paintings and large drawings which examine not only the extraordinary man-made structures but also the essence of human migration.

In 2014 she became Artist in Residence as a part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge. Based in her own ‘portacabin’ studio under the FRB on the Fife side, she also witnessed the very beginnings of the Queensferry Crossing. Her first drawing of all the Forth Bridges in completed form is featured in the current ’New Acquisitions’ Exhibition, entitled ’Three Bridge Evening’ at the City Arts Centre in Edinburgh. In 2021 she collaborated with Glasgow Print Studio to create a new etching ‘Study for Three Bridge Evening’. A combination of steel plate, copper plate and Chinese seal carving, she will bring this new print to the event to show the audience.

In this talk she will discuss the magnetism of Bridges for herself and though the eyes of other artists, and what makes them special in all their forms. There might even be a few stories of her wilder encounters around Bridges over the past 35 years!

A trip to Jupiter Artland is being planned for Tuesday 5th July. Our plan is to car share from the Sainsbury's Car Park at Kirkcaldy Retail Park, details of timing to follow. Entrance Costs are £10, £9 concessions. Lunch is £16 but there is also a selection of snacks and lighter items for less.

I am happy to announce that we are able to recommence Friends
outings with a visit to the Fife Folk Museum at Ceres. The intention is to
have an interesting visit plus an opportunity to socialise over a light
lunch of sandwiches and cakes in the very pleasant Harvest Mouse
tearoom adjacent to the museum.
If there is sufficient support, and I very much hope there will be after a
two year blank, I envisage
10 members or guests tour museum from 1-2 pm
10 members or guests tour museum from 3-4 pm
All 20 meet for lunch approx. 2-3 pm The café would be reserved for our
party at this time.
There is no admission charge to the museum but they do hope for
donations. The cost of the lunch would be £7 and it is suggested that
we make that up to £10.
This month a number of new exhibits have been opened under the
heading of the Playfair Collection
There is car parking immediately adjacent and the museum exhibits are
indoors. To reserve a place please send your payment by 5th May and
indicate if you wish to visit before or after lunch. If anyone needs a lift,
please get in touch.
Ian Gilchrist
Evens Organiser
Payment arrangements: by BACS or cheque
Cheques – payable to Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries
BACS - Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries
Account: 00187487
Sort code 83-23-25
Reference: Ceres
Any cheques can be sent to:
Harry Kerr
43 Balwearie Road
Kirkcaldy KY2 5LT
If you have any queries about payment please just contact me.
e-mail: HKerrfokg@aol.com or Phone: 01592 203161 / 07780 683451

Mary Somerville (1780-1872) was a Scottish scientist, mathematician, writer and polymath. She was born in Jedburgh but her early life was in Burntisland, where her mother was from. Throughout her life she sought out learning opportunities, learning French, Latin and Greek to enable her understanding of earlier mathematical and scientific texts.

She studied mathematics and astronomy, and in 1835 she was elected together with Caroline Herschel as the first female Honorary Members of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Somerville Square in Burntisland marks the site of the family home, and her portait is on the 2019 polymer Royal Bank of Scotland £10 note.

Come and hear more about this incredible woman in a talk by Ian Archibald at 2.30pm in the Old Kirk, Kirk Brae, Kirkcaldy. No charge but donations to the Friends warmly welcomed.

Robin Arnott lives in Kirkcaldy and has an extensive collection of art. In October last year he gave members of the Friends a very interesting presentation on part of this collection, so we have invited him back! This second part will be held in the Old Kirk, Kirk Brae, Kirkcaldy from 2.30pm. No charge but donations to the Friends very welcome.

Deonaid has made a study of the history of the famous Fabarge Eggs and has painted many replicas of the eggs. Most people are well aware of the Fabarge work but know little of the story behind the work.  We will learn about his materials , inspirations,  methods, his understanding  of metallurgy   and his relationships with our Royal family as well as the Romanovs. There will be an opportunity to view some of Deonaid’s work.  This will be the first “live” talk since lockdown. It is hoped that there will be a large turnout to hear what promises to be an interesting talk in the comfortable environment of the Old Kirk.   The current Covid rules will apply.  The Activities Room in the Galleries is still not available for the expected numbers.

Our next talk is by Robin Arnott, titled From a Fife Collection. Robin has been collecting art by (mainly) Scottish painters for a good number of years and the talk will cover some of his paintings from post WW2 until the 1970s.

Unfortunately the talk will be via Zoom as the Galleries still don’t have the facility for us to meet as a group.  Hopefully soon!  

The Zoom links for the meeting on 27 October at 2.30 is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88556380072?pwd=bVJ6aGJiQThKN1BxTE1FNjFwa1N1dz09

Meeting ID: 885 5638 0072

Passcode:  750639

Fife College student Oonagh Maxwell has received a special scholarship which recognises creativity and passion in Jewellery and Art and Design students.

Oonagh, from Kirkcaldy, has been awarded the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries Scholarship, which is offered through the College’s scholarship programme, the Adam Smith Foundation.

Funded by the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries, which aims to boost public awareness of the Galleries, the scholarship offers a cash award of £600 for the winning student which is used to support their studies and help their career progression.

Oonagh was among several students shortlisted this year who submitted copies of their artwork and designs as part of the application process. These were then judged by the group who were impressed with Oonagh’s skills and creativity.

Art and Design student Oonagh, who recently completed her HND at the College, is progressing on to Duncan of Jordanstone Art School in Dundee, after the summer, to study a Fine Arts Hons Degree.

Oonagh said:

“I am so thrilled and excited because this scholarship will help me with travel expenses and art materials. I am grateful for this opportunity, and I am excited to start my university journey soon.”

Tony Payne, President of Friends of the Galleries, who have offered scholarships through the Adam Smith Foundation for the last four years, said:

“We are delighted to support the next generation of artists from Fife College through our scholarship.

“The scholarship has supported a number of talented creative students over the last few years and Oonagh is another very deserving winner. We look forward to keeping in touch with her and hearing about her next steps.”

Lyn Gold, Scholarship and Alumni Engagement Lead said:

“We are grateful for the fantastic support that the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries have shown our creative students over the last few years.

“The scholarship is a great way to recognise students who plan to progress their studies and continue onto university to enhance their career ambitions.

“Oonagh has shown true passion and commitment during her time at College and is thoroughly deserving of this year’s award – we wish her the best of luck in her future university studies.”

Fife College’s Adam Smith Foundation is one of the largest college scholarship programmes in Scotland, awarding thousands of pounds each year to support students, develop opportunities, open doors and transform lives.

From last week we have been able to have longer appointments. Customers can visit the Local and Family History Room for up to 2.5 hours. This extra time is really useful for people doing local and family history research.

This month our Behind The Scenes News Flash is about our Local Lending Collection. These are over 1,000 local studies reference books which previously were only available in our library buildings. Customers can request a book, pick it up from their local library, and take it home to enjoy. For more information and a list of the book titles please see this link to a  page on our website:  

https://www.onfife.com/libraries-archives/local-and-family-history/local-lending-collection/

This talk will be delivered by Simon Jones of the National Trust for Scotland, and will feature work at the beautiful Arduaine Gardens near Oban.

This talk will be delivered by Rosemary Potter, who is an expert on the history of the 'lang toun' and it's many interesting buildings.

We will be holding the 8th AGM of the Friends on 28th April from 7.00-9.00pm by Zoom. All members are welcome to join us. Dallas Mechan, Museums, Archives and Galleries Manager, has agreed to giving a talk reflecting her years of involvement with the Friends.

The Zoom link for the AGM is 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6762696521?pwd=ZjQ1TFh5ZitYV1Vua1ZPWm5RcHA0dz09 

or 

Meeting ID: 676 269 6521   with  Passcode: 750639 

This afternoon we had a great talk with slides by Glenn Jones, formerly PT English at Waid Academy in Anstruther. The painting was a portrait of Surgeon Thomas Black, born in Wemyss, 1818, and drowned in Anstruther Harbour, on 29th February in 1864. His son, John Black met Robert Fowler RI when they were both at school in Liverpool, and they became friends. Robert Fowler was born in Kilrenny, nr. Anstruther, in 1850, and died in Liverpool in 1926. 

The speaker is Glenn Jones and his talk is on the subject of the “Surgeon and the
Painter”. This is a fascinating detective story stimulated by the discovery of a
forgotten painting under a stair in Anstruther Town Hall. Restoration was carried
out in Dundee organised by Gavin on the Galleries staff and the speaker worked out
the connection between the portrait and the artist.
Joining the meeting is simple, the Zoom link is :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6762696521?
pwd=ZjQ1TFh5ZitYV1Vua1ZPWm5RcHA0dz09
or Login with Meeting ID: 676 269 6521 with Passcode: 750639

We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Our very first on line event will be on Wednesday February 24th at 2.30pm. Kerry Briers will be talking about her researches into a Kirkcaldy deed Box. The meeting will be via Zoom. We will be emailing joining details prior to the event. Everybody is welcome though we do have a limit of 100 participants …

On Fife have produced a lovely film celebrating the work of the Friends over 30 years. It will be released across all On Fife platforms fron 23rd February and you can see it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP4Ua0sKo5I&feature=youtu.be

50 /50  Club-----Summer draw, June 2020

Winners:             Cynthia Reekie

                            Margaret Garvie,

                            J. Innes

       This is a subscription scheme, building up a

        prize fund every quarter, now on a tripartite

        basis. Sum total is divided  on a 50/50  basis

        between the 3 Club members  and the Friends

        of Kirkcaldy Galleries.

        Application form and Standing order form

        from  the Treasurer, Harry Kerr:

        e mail:     HKerrFoKG@aol.com

        or mail:   Friends of KirkcaldyGalleries,

                        War Memorial Gardens,

Deonaid Wilson   "Faberge Eggs"

This talk and subsequent talks are cancelled until further notice

 2pm in the Activity Room, Galleries. 

NB Activity Room is limited to 40 places, so to make your booking –                   

Contact Reception: 01592 583206 

       50/50  CLUB----------Spring Draw

       Winners:                         Cynthia Reekie-----1st prize

                                               Ron  Mc Gill-------2nd prize

                                               Nancy Mitchell----3rd prize

This is a subscription scheme, now a tripartite scheme, building up prize money every quarter.

The total sum is then divided on a 50/50 basis between the winning numbers and the funds of the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries.

 If you would like to take part in this scheme, application form and a standing order form  are available from the Treasurer: Harry Kerr.

                         HKerrFoKG@aol.com

On 26th February 2020 our guest speaker was lara Scouller who entertained her audience with an illustrated lecture on her work.

Lara is a graduate of the DUNCAN of JORDANSTONE College of Art & Design.in Dundee and now lives in Aberdour. She shares a converted waiting room for Burntisland Station as a working studio with a group of artists. Lara has won some scholarships and residencies including a period in Florence. Early in her career she painted animals from visits to museums then developed an interest in work outdoors featuring mainly flora and fauna.  A week on the Isle of May and a visit to the Bass Rock were more local highlights but her paintings of gannets could not portray  the odours produced  by the huge numbers of birds.   A sailing yacht from Mallaig to Oban in poor conditions provided a range of subjects including porpoises and sea eagles as well as providing an opportunity to take the helm. A selection of projected images accompanied her talk and displayed many examples of her work, some of which have been displayed at Galleries around Scotland.  Her web site has a selection of her portfolio.

Lara came from an artistic family but it is a little early to determine whether her 2 year old son will continue in her footsteps.

Margaret Simpson thanked lara for an interesting talk and wished her well in her career.

Heather Stuart, ONFife chief executive, fifth from left, with Margaret Simpson, chair of the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries, sixth from left, and Lesley Botten, Interpretations team leader, sixth from right, and members of the Friends beneath the plaque in the galleries.

ONFife celebrates value of good friends at Kirkcaldy Galleries    

It’s good to have friends and they don’t come much better than the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries.

Last week ONFife was delighted to unveil a new plaque at Kirkcaldy Galleries to recognise the valuable and much appreciated work that the Friends group has been carrying out over the last three decades.

Since forming in 1991, the Friends have given around £135,000 to fund many projects which have enabled the development and preservation of the collections. Their support has assisted curators in purchasing new objects, such as Wemyss Ware pottery and paintings by Alison Watt and George Leslie Hunter.

Funds have also allowed for essential conservation treatment of many paintings and objects which otherwise would not have been in a condition to be displayed.

Recent projects include the conservation of a beautiful Chinese cabinet and Japanese samurai armour for an exhibition of East Asian objects and currently on display in Kirkcaldy Galleries are two newly-conserved paintings – a Scottish Colourist oil painting by F.C.B. Cadell and a portrait of Bailie Robert Philp, a Kirkcaldy linen manufacturer who gave money to fund local schools and the education of hundreds of schoolchildren in the 19th century.

The group has funded the conservation and rebinding of a book containing the earliest burgh court minutes for Kirkcaldy from 1567-7.

Later this year the conservation of a rare floorcloth banner will also be completed thanks to Friends’ funding.

Financial support has also been given for photography and digitisation of collections, allowing greater access to the public.

“The contribution made by the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries cannot be overstated,” said Heather Stuart, chief executive of ONFife.

“Their passion and commitment to Kirkcaldy’s cultural heritage has allowed many projects to be undertaken that could not otherwise have gone ahead and has helped preserve works for future generations to enjoy.

“We are thankful to have the Friends and look forward to having their support for the next three decades and beyond.”

Margaret Simpson, chair of the Friends, thanked ONFife for organising the occasion and said the plaque was a token of the rapport between the Friends and the charity,