Dancing Light Gallery, West Linton, Peebles

Join us for a glass of wine on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 February between 12 and 3pm for the opening of Odyssey.

The art in this exhibition interprets journeys and migrants in diverse ways.

We are delighted to welcome Paul Bartlett for the first time to Dancing Light Gallery. He is an elected member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and is a past winner of their Artist of the Year and of the British Birds category for the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year. He seeks the remote wildernesses of Scotland for inspiration and subject matter, trekking or kayaking to inaccessible spots where wildlife abounds.

As the only gallery in Scotland representing Clifford William Blakey, it is great to welcome him back again and we are very excited by this new body of work. Cliff states: "I am awestruck by the elemental force of nature and its effects on the landscape, how history is created within the landscape and the narrative which ensues... These latest paintings explore in some part that relationship, perhaps it is the start of a new journey in my practice as an artist".

Tom Watt hardly needs any introduction and his vibrant paintings are the perfect antidote to a Scottish winter. After studying at Edinburgh College of Art under Philipson, Peploe, Cumming and Michie, followed by a career in teaching, Tom has devoted the last 20 years entirely to painting. Since settling with his family in France his paintings evoke the warm dappled sunlight around him in the harbours of the Mediterranean and the outdoor life of the local people.

Elizabeth Waugh trained under tutors such as Fernand Leger and Henry Moore, amongst other notable names. At 83, she works with as much enthusiasm and energy as she ever had and still follows her great love and fascination of human and animal forms in her creative endeavours. One of her sculptures was recently bought by the queen.

Sue White-Oakes - Gentoo Penguin - Bronze Casting

Sue White-Oakes trained in Industrial Design at the Central School of Art and Design in London where she also studied sculpture. Over the past twenty years she has developed a unique method of making sculptures almost entirely from copper. A number of these sculptures have now been cast in bronze. Sue’s love of engineering together with a keen appreciation of the perfectly adapted mechanical structures of her wildlife subjects enables her to produce unique works of art.

We extend a warm welcome to glass maker Phillipa Headley who is exhibiting with us for the first time. She is a past winner of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe trophy competition (glass) and was a runner up in the Belhaven Best Design competition (glass). Phillipa graduated in 2006 with a First Class degree from Edinburgh College of Art, after a student exchange programme which enabled her to study in Alfred University, USA, under Professors Steven Edwards and Dave Naito. On her return to the UK she completed her Masters of Fine Art in 2008, and was then invited back to be an Artist in Residence at Edinburgh College of Art.

We have a new collection of handbags entitled "Phemie" by Emma Reid, who is a newcomer to Dancing Light Gallery. Emma graduated from Glasgow School of Art with a BA Honours in Textile Design after studying a foundation course at Leith School of Art where she was awarded Design Student of The Year. This colourful and energetic collection uses a mix of materials including knitted fabric with areas of embellishment.

Gaynor Hebden-Smith - sea-glass jewellery

Sea glass, also known as mermaid tears or sea jewels, is glass found on the beaches and shores of the sea and some rivers, lochs and lakes. Gaynor Hebden-Smith has created a beautiful collection of jewellery using this genuine and naturally tumbled glass from the beaches of Scotland and we are thrilled to include it in this exhibition.

We are proud to include the jewellery of Welsh jeweller Anne Morgan for the first time. Anne is a member of the Association of Contemporary Jewellery, and the Makers Guild in Wales with whom she exhibits nationally and internationally, and she has been selected to make the crown for the Eisteddfod in the Vale of Glamorgan in 2012.

Rosie Bill’s "Lost & Found" jewellery was first inspired while she was working as a gardener, when she was continually digging up broken pieces. The detail of the patterns in each fragment inspired her to create the collection, in which she sets the pieces into silver to create unique and contemporary jewellery.

We also have new jewellery by Angela Learoyd and Angie Young who have been regular exhibitors with us since we opened, and new work from Aldona Juska and Heather Andrews.

Last year South Lissens Pottery moved from Fife to the very north-east of Scotland. David and Lynn have just fired up their new kiln and are still finishing their new studio so are not yet back to full production. We have been lucky to obtain a few pieces of their new work straight out of the kiln and it is superb!

The adjacent Whitmuir Restaurant has a new menu with some lighter choices and more vegetarian options. As usual it is open for snacks and lunches and more than ever before it's best to call ahead to book a table; their direct number is 01968 661 147.

Our gift vouchers have been very popular over the Christmas period and are ideal if you’re thinking about a wedding, anniversary or birthday gift.

We're looking forward to seeing you next weekend!

Helen, Helen and Kirsten