15 December 2020
Visitors to a new family-friendly exhibition can test for themselves the adage that a picture paints a thousand words.
They are being urged to create stories and verse inspired by some 20 works of art, which go on display at St Andrews Museum from Saturday (19 December).
Budding writers of all ages can draw on a wealth of inspirational material to frame their work, a selection of which will be posted on social media.
And, if a thousand words seems a little daunting, museum staff are keen to stress participants need not be that prolific.
A poem, short story or even a few scribbled lines on a postcard will suffice, but curators are confident audiences will not be lost for words.
Works on show include paintings by L S Lowry – famed for his matchstick-like figures – the eminent 20th century artist Sir William MacTaggart and leading Arts and Crafts painter John Duncan.
Also included in the Art-tastic exhibition are paintings of local scenes, which include Kilconquhar Loch, Crail harbour and the Isle of May.
The emphasis, however, is on art that will not only inspire new writing, but also encourage people unfamiliar with art to see it in a fresh light.
“We’ve not necessarily picked the most spectacular works in the OnFife collection,” says curator Lesley Lettice, “nor the ones by well-known artists.
“Instead we’ve chosen paintings that we hope will capture the imagination and provide our visitors with plenty of opportunities for storytelling.”
Curators have written their own stories to accompany each of the paintings on show as a jumping off point for museum visitors.
The aim, however, is to encourage visitors – particularly children – to interact with the paintings and dream up written work of their own.
Organisers also hope visitors will delve into the collection and be surprised at what they might learn from looking at paintings in a different way.
“Paintings are much more than just lines and colour, says Lesley. “The longer you look at one, the more there is to discover.
“There are often lots of hidden details that just need a closer look. Art-tastic is packed with potential stories – all you have to do is fire your imagination and bring them to life.” To find out more about visiting Art-tastic, go to www.onfife.com (hyperlink: https://onfife.com/venues/st-andrews-museum ) or call the venue on 01334 659380.
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For further information contact: Sheona Small, press officer, 07809 727 989 or email: sheona.small@onfife.com
Notes to editors: OnFife (Fife Cultural Trust) is a registered charity and manages and operates theatres, libraries, museums and galleries and cultural partnerships on behalf of Fife Council for people living, working and visiting Fife. Further information can be found at www.onfife.com
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