Front Line Thank You Exhibition

An exhibition is due to open at The Line Gallery in Linlithgow paying tribute to frontline workers across Scotland. The exhibition will bring together over two dozen artworks/portraits gifted free to frontline workers as part of the ‘Front Line Workers Thank You’ project coordinated by Paisley-based artist Lorna Pirrie.

Running from Saturday 29^th May to Tuesday 15th June., the exhibition will show the artworks gifted to the frontline workers (including self-portraits and portraits of family members) alongside additional works for sale by the nine artists involved in the project.  A percentage of any sales from the exhibition will be donated to food banks in Linlithgow, Paisley and Glasgow under the Trussell Trust.

In the first lockdown of the pandemic Lorna approached gallery owner’s Gail and Elisabet with the idea for an exhibition of gifted artworks to frontline workers, to which they agreed whole-heartedly. Both Lorna and the gallery reached out to the artists they knew to participate, asking everyone involved to use their social media to spread the word, resulting in 26 artworks commissioned from and gifted to frontline workers. Nurses, police officers, postal services and care home workers came forward to request self-portraits or family portraits to remember their part in the pandemic. Participating artists include; Elisabet Thorin, Ruth Nicol, Elaine Woo MacGregor, Lorna Pirrie, Robert Powell, Victoria Ross, Emma Boyd, Amy Murray and Sharon Black.

Gail Boardman, co-owner of the Line Gallery is passionate about the project;

“The Line has always played an active part in Linlithgow, and quickly recognised the exceptional demands on key workers made by the virus situation. This project is our way of saying ‘thank you’ and, with the support of the artists and the wider community; we hope to generate a positive outcome for the food banks that have been so shamefully needed.”

There will be photographs, landscapes, portraits, prints and sculptures all on display in the exhibition, with prices ranging from £20 to £4000.

The Line Gallery is located at 238 The High Street in Linlithgow open Tuesday – Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 1 to 4pm. Website; www.thelineonline.co.uk.

Visit The Front Line Thank you Project page on Facebook; www.facebook.com/frontlinethankyouproject. Come and celebrate our frontline workers and help your neighbours in raising donations for local foodbanks.

Organiser Lorna Pirrie said by way of thanks to everyone involved:

“I couldn’t be more grateful to the Gallery and all the participants, the emotions in the artworks and the generosity of all involved is truly heartwarming.”