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Woman at art museum
Woman at art museum
Photo by Gilber Franco from Unsplash
St. Andrews | Culture

Galleries Are it!

Mary Markis Student Contributor, University of St Andrews
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. Andrews chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Whether it may be a blessing or a curse, we are surrounded by so much media in the digital age. From the latest fashion trends, to travel recommendations, to book-tok, there is a plethora of entertainment and readily available advice from strangers on the internet. And while it is tempting to give in to mindless shopping and revamping your closet seasonally, a much more affordable, enriching and inspiring search may very well be art.

As an art history student, I myself am overwhelmed by the influx of artists, past and present, that I have yet to discover. I find myself falling off the deep end some days while searching for inspiration. To understand art is to understand human connection. Art represents generations of society, customs, heartache and violence. It ties us to the people before us and will continue to do so for those after us. Art is the outcome of our emotions and can become our legacy. That being said, our generation remains curious, desperate for creativity and an outlet for our thoughts. To produce art is to let those feelings out, and to consume art is to seek answers. 

There are numerous ways to take in art: substack, youtube, museums, reading etc. On the Tate website they even offer a quiz on how to find your perfect artist. This is a fun way to start your exploration into art. And luckily for St. Andrews students, there are wonderful galleries and museums close by! 

While working in an art gallery over the summer, I came across a number of incredible artists. I fell in love with galleries and have since visited the DCA in Dundee which is an easy and rewarding journey. Art spaces are competing greatly with other forms of entertainment, such as sporting events, concerts. It is therefore increasingly important that we support artists and art organizations; if arts die then so does our society at a whole! 

A less dramatic reason to visit a gallery is how amazing they actually are! Edinburgh’s art is one of the best budget friendly weekend activities we have! One of the most interesting female artists with an active show in Edinburgh right now is Gwen John’s: Strange Beauties at the National Gallery. As a Welsh pioneer in female artistry, she herself was incredible, and she continues to be an interesting and important figure to celebrate! 

Her paintings are a collection of female portraits that are quite thought provoking. Think muted tones and an intimate gaze towards the viewer, the work draws you into the scene and you are forced to engage with the storyline. A visit to her show would be perfectly followed up with a stroll around the city while the weather is still autumnal and warm(ish).

And so, exploring artists and delving into the art world does not have to be daunting, nor are you expected to love and understand pieces! One of the best parts of observing artworks is to be confused; asking questions and deriving interpretations makes for a great post-museum coffee and conversation with a friend. So take the quiz, find out your artist, and go from there; maybe in the process you’ll find connection through someone else’s work!  

Mary Markis

St. Andrews '27

My name is Mary Markis and I am in my second year at the University of St. Andrews. I am studying art history and anthropology. I am from Boston, Massachusetts and have spent a majority of my childhood with my family in Greece. Before attending St. Andrews, I’d never been to the UK! I am very adventurous, which has made being here so enjoyable. I have worked in restaurants since I was fourteen; as a pastry chef, server, bar-tender and barista. Additionally, I did photojournalism and social media marketing for the National Parks throughout these summers. Between these two experiences, I developed a number of interesting skills and memories, which are reflected in my writing.
I have always had a passion for writing; my favorite creative outlet is poetry and my favorite author is John Steinbeck. Aside from writing, I love photography, reading, running and traveling. I am very passionate about dark room photography and familiarized myself with it throughout high school, lots of trial and error, and street photography. In the future, I’d love to work in humanitarian aid; using photojournalism to educate and inspire change in suffering communities. Overall, I joined Her Campus in the hopes of finding a supportive environment for female writers, which I am really excited about!