Today’s prompt: Take a notebook to a gallery or museum to write about something you see there

This afternoon after meeting a friend for lunch in my old hometown of Paisley, I took a wander round the Big Art Show which is a fantastic exhibition run by Outspoken Arts Scotland & Art Paisley Ltd. Hundreds of artists (both professional and amateur), submit their work to be exhibited within the Art Department in the Paisley Shopping Centre. It’s a great way to transform empty units within the centre into a creative hub of talent.

I didn’t have long to browse this afternoon before it shut, so I didn’t sit down with a notebook to write when I was there, but there were a couple of pieces that made me think fondly of the beauty that’s often forgotten in this town; a beauty I always tried to appreciate (and capture in photos) when I lived there.

The painting at the top of my post is titled Paisley Abbey in snowstorm by Rory Farquhar Thomson (This image of the painting is a screenshot from the online gallery of the Big Art Show which you can view here. It displays all of the stunning artwork that was on show in the exhibition.)

I love the atmosphere of this painting and the dream-like, ghostly quality that the artist has created with his brushstrokes. It makes the iconic building look as if it is shrouded in mystery. Back in 2013 when I was living in Paisley I wrote a post on my old blog where I had taken 10 photos and written about the places within the town. The photo below is one I took inside the Abbey. It’s such a beautiful building and I have great memories of attending the Abbey during a Medieval festival, a history of the Witches re-enactment, a friend’s graduation service, art fairs, as well as just having a wander around the beautiful building with friends and browsing the little gift shop.

The day after I got married I dropped off our legal paperwork at the Paisley registry office, and on my walk past the Abbey the sun was reflecting off the windows and I remember feeling this sense of a past part of my life smiling down on me as I walked into a new chapter.

Another image below from the exhibition is by my artist and designer friend Rebecca Johnstone (a.k.a Dainty Dora. You can find some Paisley inspired prints at her online shop here ) Rebecca pairs her unique and eye-catching patterns with photographic imagery of iconic and familiar scenes around Paisley town centre. I love the vibrancy of the layers. This particular image won the ‘Love Local, Love Paisley’ prize at the exhibition, and it’s great to see the town coming alive through a different kind of lens.

I’ve been to some memorable events in the Town Hall over the years too, such as gigs and a beer festival (even although I don’t like beer that much – sampling many a variety confirmed this that day!). The Town Hall has just undergone a massive transformation and I’m hoping this might mean it will host some interesting future events

When I think back to the variety of unique events, tours, art classes, shows and buildings I have visited across Paisley it will always feel like a special place to me which inspires my creativity.