People are being invited to 'go west' for a new exhibition celebrating the sights, sounds and scenery of an iconic walking route.
The fabric of the West Highland Way will be explored via the latest display at the Lillie Art Gallery in Milngavie.
‘Edging West’, which is on from Saturday 20 May to Thursday 29 June 2023, will give visitors the chance to experience the route through a series of evocative and inspirational works created by a group called edge textile artists Scotland.
The West Highland Way is a popular 96-mile walk which stretches from Milngavie, via Crianlarich and Rannoch Moor, to Fort William. It is completed by around 40,000 people per year.
The free exhibition will feature embroidery and textile artworks, each providing an individual interpretation of the trek and its indelible impact on the walkers who experience it.
There will be even a place for the famous Scottish midges – a fixture of many trips – as well as alternative hiking gear.
Jim Neill – Chair of East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture (EDLC) Trust, which operates the Lillie – said,
This excellent new exhibition offers new perspectives on the magical West Highland Way. It's a great way to enjoy its sights and sounds without needing to pull on your walking boots!
The group, edge textile artists Scotland, is made up of highly-skilled people from all over Scotland, expressing themselves in a contemporary way – valuing the traditional skills of embroidery while challenging myths that surround its image. Their talents shine out from historic techniques all done by hand, with no kits, cross-stitch or stencils in sight.
Shan Press, Chair of edge textile artists Scotland, said, "We have had two previous displays at the Lillie and are delighted to be returning.
"The exhibition features our members' recollections of the West Highland Way – works which distil the sights and sounds they experienced, all held in place by stitches and colours of thread – representing their subconscious impressions of the walk and what it represents to them."
Membership of edge textile artists Scotland is by selection. For more information, visit the edge textile artists website.
‘Edging West’ is on from Saturday 20 May to Thursday 29 June 2023.
The Lillie Art Gallery – Station Road, Milngavie, G62 8BZ – is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
For more information, call 0141 956 5536 or visit the Lillie Art Gallery webpage.
