Peacock Visual Arts, Scotland

Artist in studio working
Established in 1974 in Aberdeen, Peacock Visual Arts is home to a fine art print-making studio, as well as a darkroom, editing suite, digital department and gallery
(Image credit: TBC)

Tucked away down a quiet side street in the historic centre of Aberdeen is a veritable hotbed of creative activity. Started in 1974 as a simple fine art print studio by a group of Gray's School of Art graduates - inspired by the beautiful etchings of their teacher Ian Fleming - Peacock Visual Arts has grown into a major operation, equipped with a darkroom, a broadcast-quality editing suite, a digital department, a gallery and a stellar programme of exhibitions, making it something of catalyst on the Scottish arts scene, albeit in a remarkably unassuming fashion.

But, as diverse as its output may be, the gallery has print-making at its heart, in all its forms, from relief printing to etching and screen printing. Peacock Visual Arts was born at a time when there was a burst of interest in print-making in Scotland. 'The print galleries in London were very commercial, so the Scottish Arts Council liked the fact that Peacock was initiated by artists,' says the gallery's director, Lindsay Gordon. 'They were quite enlightened and gave us vital funding.'

Skip forward a few decades and the studio is a hive of activity. Just last week, everyone from a group of art students to Royal Academician Barbara Rae and Wallpaper* favourite Toby Paterson could be seen hard at work. 'Print-making is a something that requires expensive and heavy kit, so we want to make it available to everyone,' says Gordon. 'We are very democratic about who can use the studio and who we represent as a gallery.' That may be so but there are many treasures to be found among its collections, such as 'The Nose Epilogue' - an amusing graphic series by Glasgow-based Mick Peter - and the fragmented architectural compositions of Paterson, who will have a solo show at the gallery in September.

Peacock Visual Arts operates from a former 18th century workshop and an adjacent 19th century church school in Castlegate. With so many facilities, it has almost outgrown its premises but a recent plan by the gallery to build an ambitious new arts centre in the city's historic Union Terrace Gardens and restore the gardens to their former glory was thwarted (despite securing funding) when a local business tycoon stumped up £50 million of his own money to turn it into a civic park. Disappointing it may be for the gallery-cum-studio, but it makes stumbling upon it all the more thrilling. And Gordon has other plans for its future. 'We're working on ideas for a series of site-specific installations,' he says. 'If we are confined to our current premises, it won't stop us taking our exhibition programme to where people are.'

Artist in studio with large black rolling pin

Print-making, however, is how it has made its name, and it offers facilities for everything from relief printing to etching and screen printing

(Image credit: TBC)

Close up of artist at work

Artist Mick Peter at work

(Image credit: TBC)

Artist holding and looking at his work

Toby Paterson inspects a piece from his 'Inchoate Landscapes' series

(Image credit: TBC)

Art work with bold colours against black background

'Inchoate Landscapes' by Toby Paterson

(Image credit: TBC)

Grey objects against a red background

'Inchoate Landscapes' by Toby Paterson

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract shapes of bold colours on white background

'Array' by Toby Paterson

(Image credit: TBC)

Black musical book holder and green background

'The Nose Epilogue' by Mick Peter

(Image credit: TBC)

Musical book holder and green background

'The Nose Epilogue' by Mick Peter

(Image credit: TBC)

Man peeking through purple hole

'Colour Play' by Adam Barker-Mill

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract bold coloured religious art work

By Adrian Wiszniewski

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract art work

By Alan Davie

(Image credit: TBC)

Fruit art work with the words 'Sun, Earth, Moon' written

'Sun Earth Moon' by David Bellingham

(Image credit: TBC)

Mountain view art work

'Always' by David McCracken

(Image credit: TBC)

Red crying emoji face on yellow background

'Happy Now' by Ian Stevenson

(Image credit: TBC)

Red cathedral like tent indoors

Installation view of 'Weekend Cathedral' by Jacques Coetzer

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract art work with thick white frame

'The Granite Suite' by John McLean

(Image credit: TBC)

Big black font writing 'A SHOUT IN THE STREET'

'A shout in the street' by Kenny Hunter

(Image credit: TBC)

Font art work in grey tones

'All Cats are Grey' at Night by Kenny Hunter

(Image credit: TBC)

Bold capital white font against red background

'Ever lasting agitation' by Kenny Hunter

(Image credit: TBC)

White and grey writing against black background

'More light more shadows' by Kenny Hunter

(Image credit: TBC)

Mountain landscape installation

Installation view of 'North West' by Katri Walker

(Image credit: TBC)

Elongated screen installation

Installation view of 'North West' by Katri Walker

(Image credit: TBC)

Piece of artwork with signature

'Hunter S Thompson' by Ralph Steadman

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract art work of William Shakespeare and a signature

'William Shakespeare' by Ralph Steadman

(Image credit: TBC)

Abstract black and white sketch of man

'Samuel Beckett' by Ralph Steadman

(Image credit: TBC)

Old image of man hugging a woman and holding a sharp object in other hand

By Rosalind Nashashibi

(Image credit: TBC)

Black and white image of huts

'Wordie Hut' by Frances Walker

(Image credit: TBC)

ADDRESS

Peacock Visual Arts
21 Castle Street
Aberdeen AB11 5BQ
Scotland

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Malaika Byng is an editor, writer and consultant covering everything from architecture, design and ecology to art and craft. She was online editor for Wallpaper* magazine for three years and more recently editor of Crafts magazine, until she decided to go freelance in 2022. Based in London, she now writes for the Financial Times, Metropolis, Kinfolk and The Plant, among others.