History of the Club
Milngavie Art Club, to the north of Glasgow, originated in 1915.
The club's first exhibition was held in the Territorial Hall, Milngavie, from 25th December, 1915 until 8th January, 1916, with a second exhibition a year later. One purpose of these exhibitions was to raise funds for the Red Cross, so contributing to the war effort.
The success of these shows encouraged the Club to hold further annual exhibitions. In the early years, they were held in local school premises, generally during the Easter holidays. Being unsatisfactory venues, in the thirties the McLellan Galleries in Glasgow held six annual exhibitions and in 1940, the Annan Gallery at Charing Cross, Glasgow.
Club membership declined during and after the Second World War. Meetings and exhibitions were sporadic. The impetus for a new beginning came with Robert Lillie's bequest in 1949 for the building of a small gallery in Milngavie. This was opened on 31 March, 1962 with a selection of paintings on loan from Glasgow Art Galleries, along with works by Robert Lillie and a small exhibition of 28 paintings by 13 members of the club, among them Helen Carrick Anderson, Jean Irwin and Flora Wood. Famous artists such as William and Mary Armour and Joan Eardley were past members of the club.
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