I was very impressed by this little shop/art gallery which sells a beautiful range of photo frames…read moreand greetings cards. The gallery at the back of the store displays the artwork. Now my knowledge of art basically extends to I know what I like and I know what I don't like. Some of the paintings in Rowan I liked, some I thought were a bit cheesy. The prices were not on the cheap side but I suppose you pay for good quality.

The Rowan Gallery is definitely hitting the upper crust of Helensburgh's card shop offerings…read more This is partly to do with the fact that it's not technically a gift shop - there is a large room towards the back of the store selling expensive original prints by local artists! The gift shop part is extremely diverse and sells some exquisite ornaments and housey bits and bobs to please someone on their birthday. A lot of the jewellery, prints and housewares are all on a Scottish theme, but would be an altogether higher class of souvenir should your purpose in the Rowan Gallery be to seek out one of those. They sell some unusual designs, including a Warhol esque print of a Tunnocks tea cake on bags and aprons. They look amazing and is a nice touch for locals and visitors alike. A lot of their jewellery displays are dedicated shrines to the local creative contingency and there are some nice, cheap prints of Scotland on offer amongst the scented candles and fancy piggy banks. But the real treat of the gallery is being able to wander unwatched through to the back room to have a look at the local artists. There are a number of them on display here and the names change frequently. You may be able to stumble upon some high profile stuff if you come in at an opportunistic time; or find a new artist to adore and potentially adorn your house with. The majority of the paintings are unaffordable for the average consumer but failing finding an affordable masterpiece, it's still refreshing to peruse the fresh, white washed gallery and maybe pick up a gift on your way out.

I always assumed this was a pop up art store and only here for a short period, on passing by…read morerecently noticed that this small art store was still here and that was a year ago. With nearly all the space in the wall there are a number of masterpieces on display from artists from Glasgow many if the artists who have work's displayed here studied at the Glasgow school of art. Some prices range from the lower thousands of pounds to over ten thousand. There are also prices of individual crafted furniture For sale in this shop, very nice items. Definitely a place to recommend if you want to own an original piece of Glasgow art.

The Vennel Gallery is one of various buildings within the street of Glasgow Vennel in the very…read moreheart of Irvine town.The others include 'The Heckling Shop'. The theme of these places in general is Robert Burns.The significance is that he spent around two years staying in Irvine and it was on the site of his abode that formed the basis of the entire street of Glasgow Vennel.The gallery shows various displays throughout the year including paintings done by local artists.You can also view some original works of Burns himself,which gives a further insight into the man when you see his own handwriting.If you are interested in Robert Burns at all I would recommend a visit.

It is a very nice shop and cafe in the quiet village of Thornhill. It is the best one within a 10…read moremile radius of anything. Quality of food is great, and they serve their products in dishes that they sell in the shop. They pull their own espressos and have a great variety of baked goods. We had their hot smoked salmon pasta and venison burger. They were both a little less than £9 each. The pasta was cooked al dente and had plenty of smoked salmon through it which made it almost too salty. The venison wasn't too dry but the bun was a bit too big for the patty. The shop has some very nicely curated products mostly dish and glassware, a nice baby section and a wall of skincare. You are bound to find a very nice gift for someone or treat yourself with something nice.

nice art work in paintings and photography by local artist julie with some great art exhibitions…read moredue later in the summer

Not my thing really, not what I would call innovative, some good work but not outstandingread more