Join us for the very first 'Art from the Attic'!
The New Year brings a new art exhibition to our gallery space at October Books, the first in a series of works under the theme of Art from the Attic.
Throughout January we will be showing the works of Roy McComish, 1922-1995, the father of local resident, musician and artist, Louise Owen. Her dad grew up in pre-war Glasgow, studied at Glasgow School of Art until war interrupted. He spent an intense and life-changing few years as an officer in European campaigns, and wrote illustrated memoirs of these experiences in later life.
After the war, he completed his Art training and worked first as a newspaper cartoonist, then as Art Master at Gordonstoun School, in the rugged North-East of Scotland. Ten years later, by then married to a musician and with a beautiful baby daughter! - they headed South, founding Box Hill School in Surrey, which provided abundant opportunity for the creative and organisational skills that had characterised his early career. He remained as headmaster until retirement, when he resumed painting - landscapes, domestic interiors and portraits, in oils and watercolour - and drawing constantly.
His true talent lay in the draughtsmanship and vision present in all his work; the drawings and caricatures are where his wit, humour, humanity, design sense, perceptiveness and assuredness of line shine through.
Do come along and join Louise at the launch of this wonderful exhibition on Thursday 12th January from 4.30pm to 7.30pm to share the stories of this extraordinary man and his art work. Please book via Eventbrite here so we have some idea of numbers
This is the first exhibition in a series called Art from the Attic, where we celebrate and show the works of unrecognised artists and creatives, work that may have been hidden in the attic (or garage or wardrobe!) for a number of years. If you have a friend or family member whose work you would like to share please do drop us a line at:
clare@octoberbooks.org
We are open:
Monday - Saturday
10am - 5.30 pm
We are back open six days a week, with the whole store open for browsing. We will still of course be taking customer orders and you will still be able to buy food and cleaning products online through our online store.
We are able to be open 6 days a week again because of your consideration and care whilst in the shop. Though things are opening up, covid cases are still high and a lot of our staff have only received one jab. So we are asking customers to continue to leave that extra space, sanitise their hands and pull on their mask. We really appreciate it.
