Songs for Winter

This exhibition is the celebration of two artists who have developed unique work in a unique environment tucked away in the Scottish Borders.

Allanbank Mill Steading in the Borders has been the home and studios of Charles Poulsen and Pauline Burbidge for 24 years. They have turned a set of farm buildings into an inspiring house, garden and working environment.

Drawing is at the heart of both Pauline and Charlie’s practice. Charlie makes large scale drawings on paper and sculpture which he describes as 3D drawings. Pauline thinks of her stitching as drawn lines and she also draws directly onto the fabric. Both artists connect strongly with an abstract vision.

Charlie’s work is more about energy than any particular subject matter, the invisible forces and energies within the earth which are bound into the square of the drawing where the marks are interwoven in a lattice of lines. He uses a combination of pencil, wax and gouache, in works on paper and lead, wood, wax and growing and training trees, in his sculpture.

Pauline’s textile work reflects the growth and seasonal changes within the natural world and rural landscape. She uses fine cottons & silks, and has developed the use of mono print and cyanotype print in her recent pieces. Her long career has connected with the tradition of quiltmaking, yet her images are far from traditional. She has always pursued her own unique and individual path.

‘Songs for Winter’ shows the diversity and unity of their work which comes together here in this exhibition and every year in their OPEN STUDIO - which takes place in their farm buildings for four days every year.

This exhibition is free to enter at the City Art Centre, 1st Floor.

Books and cards will be available to purchase during the exhibition.

Special publications for this exhibition are: