A Glasgow Girl’s Guide to Art and Travel

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Day 1 - Art is everywhere in my hometown



November 11th 2016




Growing up in the heart of Glasgow, I’ve always been interested in the city’s art scene. My weekends have been spent exploring the ever-changing exhibits at the GoMA ever since I can remember, and I’d always demand that family holidays were orientated around the upcoming exhibitions - sorry Mum!







Graduating in June with a degree in Fine Art from Glasgow School of Art, I knew I wasn’t ready to stifle my creativity and settle into a full-time job. Travelling was something I’d always wanted to do but never found the time for, so this was the perfect opportunity! With a strong desire to explore the abundance of art around the country, but only the remnants of my student loan to get me there, I decided to started my journey closer to home in the cultural hub of Glasgow.







Fitting all that Glasgow has to offer in the space of one day proved tricky, but thanks to my trusty Citroën C1, I managed to explore everything from the Transmission Gallery to The Burrell Collection.







Day 2 - Flying the nest to the capital







November 12th 2016




To fit in with my budget plans, I had used my car for the first part of my trip, but I needed to find some low cost parking before I flew to the next artistic hotspot on my itinerary. Luckily I found the perfect spot to park up at in Paisley, and only had a short transfer to the airport ahead of my flight to London.







I thought I was used to city living, but as I ran for the DLR from London City airport, I realised that the capital is something else altogether! But, dreaming of actually coming face-to-face with Picasso’s portraits, even the rush hour tube journey to the National Portrait Gallery couldn’t faze me.





After appreciating the array of exhibits for what felt like no time at all, but what must have been hours, a rather annoyed security guard informed me that the gallery was closing and I had to leave. With this 24 hour city boasting so much culture and creativity to immerse myself in, I took a detour from the hotel check-in desk and instead made the last-minute decision to check out a spectacular performance at the ICA.







Day 3 - Escaping to the coast







November 13th 2016

After rather a late night, and an uncomfortable sleep on the lumpy hotel mattress, I was ready for some peace and quiet. The constant stream of noise coming from nearby traffic was bringing on a migraine, and I knew it was time for a retreat to somewhere more rural.







With the unique and vibrant city of Brighton and Hove just an hour’s train journey from central London, I couldn’t resist a day trip to this seaside resort. Home to a number of creative practitioners and artists, including my uni friend who is now freelancing in the area, Brighton was the perfect choice for my next destination. After catching up over an Earl Grey in a quirky deli (the best in Brighton, my friend assured me), I felt inspired to create some art of my own. Heading to the seafront, I pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw the outline of a fellow artist painting nearby.

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