"Colour, Light and Creativity" - The Fergusson Gallery Restored by Jenny Kinnear, Art Officer, The Fergusson Gallery

Self-portrait J.D. Fergusson

Visitors to The Fergusson Gallery in Perth during the summer have been delighted to see the splendid dome of the building restored. It makes for an eye-catching 'full stop' to the corner of Tay Street and Marshall Place. Inside, the refurbished galleries have a powerful selection of exhibitions focusing on the building and the collection. The Gallery was officially re-opened to the public on 31 May by Patricia Ferguson, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport.

The Gallery was established in 1992, housed in what was originally Perth's first Waterworks. It holds the single largest collection of work by the Scottish colourist, John Duncan Fergusson. The building's unusual, circular shape makes unexpected gallery spaces which have regularly changing exhibitions. These are drawn from the extensive collection, which totals over 4,000 works of art, and 6,000 related archival items. It belongs to Perth and Kinross Council and is administered by its Heritage Service. Currently, bold, monumentally-scaled portraits greet you as you enter the gallery in a display of some of the most popular works in the collection, titled 'Introducing J D Fergusson'.

Upstairs, another exhibition of a further 40 works demonstrates the breadth of Fergusson's output, from a prolific career that lasted over 60 years. Based in France for much of this time, Fergusson's early work, from the 1890s to around 1910, reflects a varied stream of influences as he experienced the developments in modern art first hand. From 1910 onwards, stylised female nudes with strong, sculpted limbs and sensual portraits make up the majority of his output. Some of the works in this exhibition are accompanied by comments from celebrities from the worlds of art, politics, media and sport, written specifically for this show.

Bronze head

As well as exhibitions, art materials and activities are regularly available, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy being creative. Special events and activities for all ages are also programmed throughout the year. The Big Draw 2005 is a national initiative that runs throughout October to highlight the art of drawing. At the Fergusson Gallery there will be a distinct buzz of creativity in the air throughout the month with drawing activities for visitors and art classes for adults and schools. A special selection of Fergusson's sketchbooks will also be on display for inspiration.