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Looking for the ultimate Christmas Gift Guide? Look no further. The Restoration Yard Christmas Gift Guide 2021 has something for everyone. That’s because The Store at Restoration Yard is not just a shop, especially when bursting with festive sparkle and delight, it’s a place of joy and inspiration. It’s a genuine treasure trove of unique Christmas gifts for all ages. Pick one of our exquisite gift hampers or create your own, choose under the tree worthy gifts for everyone, big and small, and find those all important stocking fillers. You’ll find divine homeware for the festive table, alongside beauty, inspiring books, must-have stationary, and oh, the Foodhall ~ simply foodie heaven. The Restoration Yard Christmas Gift Guide 2021 makes Christmas shopping soooo easy. Photography by Blue Sky Photography The Best Gifts for Her Tell her just how amazing she is with a selection of luxurious little pick-me-ups, splash out on statement jewellery or perhaps treat her to a little fashion accessory she would never buy for herself – cashmere wrist warmers anyone? There are so many surprising gifts big and small for she/her in The Store that you won’t go wrong. Pick up little treats to make her happy… Dansk Copenhagen Bracelet, £34.90 Rosie Sugden Wrist Warmers, £69.00 Beefayre Votive, £9.95 Sara Miller Eye Mask, £29.95 Portico Elephant Notebook, £29.95 Dansk Copenhagen Necklace, £39.90 The Most Desirable of Gifts for Him Is he a sartorial sophisticate, an outdoor kind of fellow or a bearded beaut? Whatever, in our Christmas Gift Guide 2021 we have gifts for him that will cover all bases. From little grooming treats, books for all interests and suave fashion accessories to quirky gadgets for all occassions, there will be something for that special ‘he/him’ in The Store. Shop classic gifts to quirky treats… Lime Tree Design Hankies, £35.00 Robert Mackie Scarf, £39.95 Octo Sweater Weather Candle, £25.00 Selected Homme Sweater, £45.00 Shoe Shine Cigar Box, £45.00 Cool-Ass Grandpa Socks, £11.50 The Beauty & Grooming Gifts for All Let them soak, soap and soothe in a wonderful array of pampering beauty and wellness gifts. The Beauty Department in The Store is awash (ahem) with gorgeous smellies for the best of bathtimes. Just don’t forget the addition of a scented candle or two to top off your gift recipient’s indulgence. Aaahhh. Select some seriously luxurious pampering for all… Fikkerts Lavender Bath Essence, £14.00 Restoration Yard Gardenia Candle, £28.00 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Bath Oil, £19.95 Restoration Yard Olive Oil Soap, £5.50 Agnes & Cat Dead Sea Bath Salts, £9.95 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Shower Wash, £19.95 The Best Gifts for Kids

Well hello cooler weather and shorter days. Hello autumn 21 fashion. Use the seasonal shift to change the gear into low key luxe from The Store at Restoration Yard. Layering, contrasting pattern and prints, super soft knits and cocooning coats are just some of the icons in our menswear and womenswear collections. Think easy like a Sunday morning every day of the week. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DITTE SOLGAARD DUNN. MODELS GRACE, JASON, JUUDIT & ANDREW COURTESY OF COLOURS MODEL AGENCY Easy Like a Sunday Morning Make it a slow and luxurious start in some of our favourite louche printed PJ’s and gowns. Check out our autumn 21 fashion collections from One Hundred Stars, Les Touristes and Powell Craft. Just add coffee. Grace wears: Powell Craft Pyjamas, £52.00, One Hundred Stars Dressing Gown, £75.00, EMU Australia Slippers, £45.00. Daisy Bloom Earrings, £29.95, Daisy in Bloom Gold/Leather strap necklace, £39.95, and Erna Globe Deco Ring Gold Plated £29.77. Shop it all in The Store or peruse Loungewear in our Online Store. Low-key Luxe Who said you can’t lounge and sparkle? Mix up luxuriously soft knits with some PJ-inspired disco pants from Selected Femme. Lockdowns have changed the style rules and we can wear what we want, whenever. Hurrah. Juudit wears: Karen by Simonsen Cardigan, £109, Selected Femme Wide Maxi Sequin Pants, £130, Taisir Gibreel Chaos Skinny Head Scarf, £34.95. Relaxed Layering Cue comfort dressing. Choose soft, luxurious knits for men and women in The Store at Restoration Yard to layer over pretty much everything. Grace wears: ICHI Crystal Gray Blouse, £49.99, Selected Femme Louisa Knit Polo Cardigan, £85.00, Selected Femme Porta Wide Pant, £75.00. Jason wears: Selected Homme Merino Coolmax Knit, £55.00. Juudit wears: Vilagallo Poncho, ££199.00, Top, £79.00, Ichi Jeans, £49.99. Grace wears: Vilagallo Cardigan, £229.00, Blank Shirt, £95.00, Part Two Jeans, £89.95, and Selected Femme Boots, £140.00. Playing it Down A beautifully tailored printed shirt can be given that laidback rework when layered over a casual tee and jeans. Jason wears: Selected Homme Shirt, £55.00. Lumber Jackets Equal Must-have for Autumn Who knew that the good old lumber jacket would make a huge comeback as a wardrobe must for men and women this autumn? But it is so. Embrace its comfort and warmth and just add some denim for authenticity. Part Two and Selected Homme tick this trend in The Store. Juudit wears: Part Two Neutral Check Jacket, £189.95, Selected Femme Sweatshirt, £35.00, Selected Femme Denim Skirt, £75, Selected Femme Black Boots, £140.00. Andrew wears: Selected Homme Lumber Jacket, £95.00, and Selected Homme Check Shirt, £35.00. Outerwear Goals A coat should never just be a coat. Let it be an extension of your overall aesthetic. Be that laidback or dressed up. Choose wisely this autumn. For women we are loving the Shirt Coat and for men you can never get enough of a great investment piece parka. Grace wears: Part Two Grey Shirt/Coat, £179.95, Part Two Keekee Knit, £49.95, Selected Femme Wide-legged Trouser ,£75.00, Selected Femme Boots, £140.00. Jason wears: Selected Homme Lambswool Robe Knit Sweater, £65, Selected Homme Fishtail Parka, £135.00. Juudit wears: Part Two Coat, £224.95. Comfort Dressing There is something to be said for a great knit come autumn. In those in-between sunny days it can be just enough to run a few errands. Classic crew necks from Selected Homme are a style staple and women will adore a bold knit from Vilagallo. See more in-store. Jason wears: Selected Homme Crew Neck in Navy/Bone, £45.00. Juudit wears: Vilagallo Sweater, £110.00. Jason wears: Selected Homme Lambswool Grey Knit, £65.00. One-stop Dresses Make Everything Easy Dresses are the one-stop style option for an easy autumn day. Just throw on, add boots, layer up or layer under if necessary, and go. That’s why we just can’t get enough of a statement dress. Juudit wears: Selected Femme Black Knit Rib Roll-neck, £45, Vilagallo Army Dress Gold Fleck, £165, POM Emerald Green Vegan Leather Bag, £35. Boots model’s own. Juudit wears: Selected Femme Brunnera Blue Dress, £65,Selected Femme Black Boots, £140.00. Andrew wears: Selected Homme Dark Saphire/Melange Shirt – £35 Sharp Shirting So many men fall into the trap of just throwing on a shirt. Don’t be that man. Choose a statement shirt that makes your look less cutting hedge and more cutting edge. Choose a bold repeat pattern or print. Andrew wears: Selected Homme Flex Park Shirt, £35. Bring on the Blazer So there is always a need for a dress up option in a man’s wardrobe but sometimes that option should be luxurious without the uptightness of a full-on tailored jacket. So wise men of autumn 21 – opt for a softer tailored jacket that can be thrown on over a knit. Jason wears: Selected Homme Navy/Bone Knit Crew Neck , £45.00, and Vedoneire Linen Cotton Blazer in Midnight, £155. Statement Dressing Finally out, out? Meet friends you haven’t seen Zoom with a look that addresses the nation. Be bold. We haven’t been able to dress up so go for it. Clash if you want. Or just make it monochrome. Grace wears: Blank Maria Shirt, £105, Blank Sigrid Skirt, £95.00 and Blank Ebba Jacket Beige, £175.00, and Selected Femme Boots, £140.00. Juudit wears : My Essential Wardrobe Leather

Say Merry Christmas with the best of gifts. A Restoration Yard hamper, of any size, is the perfect treat. Check out our off-the-shelf baskets for wine, cheese, tea and coffee lovers. Or perhaps you would like to create your own? We can do this as big or as small as you like. These ‘create your own’ Christmas treats are a great way to say ‘thank you’ to your team at work or to say ‘I love you’ to that special someone. Create Your Own Bespoke Hamper Our Create Your Own ‘Thank You’ Restoration Yard Hampers are an easy yet most thoughtful way to say a festive thank you to all those people you need to at Christmas time. From your kids’ teachers to your hardworking team – our bespoke hampers come in all sizes. Our team can create small, medium or large gift baskets and hampers filled with goodies of your choice from our wonderful Store. You just need to tell us what you want. Your wish is our command. That’s Christmas all wrapped up. Create Your Own ‘Thank You’ Hampers are priced from £25.00 to £85.00. Restoration Yard Ready-made Hampers Say hello to hamper heaven with our off-the-shelf baskets of delights…Restoration Yard Hampers make Christmas shopping easy. Restoration Yard for the Love of Tea Hamper, £55.00 IJ Mellis Cheese Large Hamper, £85.00 Restoration Yard Trio of Preserves, £18.50 Chocolate & Wine Lovers Large Hamper, £85.00 Restoration Yard for the Love of Coffee Large Hamper, £85.00 IJ Mellis Cheese Medium Hamper, £55.00 Want to hear all the news from Restoration Yard first? Sign up to our newsletters to get 10% off your first online purchase*. Yay. You can also follow us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

We were delighted to pick up the highly sought-after Best Store Design Award at Drapers Independent Awards in London this week. The ceremony, which was hosted by fashion business bible Drapers magazine, celebrated the best of the UK’s independent fashion retailers. It was attended by an impressive roll call of the UK’s leading independents including some of Scotland’s finest boutiques and businesses – Jane Davidson of Edinburgh and A Hume of Kelso. The Restoration Yard Team on stage accepting Best New Store Design Award from the Drapers team The judges who awarded our beautiful shop at Restoration Yard Best Store Design said of our store: “This beautiful bricks-and-mortar store is as visually appealing as its surroundings, making it a destination for customers from miles around. The store is light and bright, combining its rustic heritage with modern details.” The Store has grown from an original concept by former Creative Director Amanda Pratt, who used her vast experience of creating the look and feel of Ireland’s hugely successful Avoca retail stores to vision The Store at Restoration Yard. This vision was that the stables could be transformed into a surprising and joyful shopping experience by using its unique elements. Building visually impactful and engaging displays to tell lifestyle stories is what made The Store at Restoration Yard so special from day one and Sisi Gibreel, head of retail, builds on this legacy every day. Gibreel said after receiving the award on behalf of the retail team: “Winning this Best Store Design Award is such a delight. An old stableyard is not the most natural environment for a store because of its separate stalls and hay feeders. However, we use the stables’ quirks to create beautiful and inspirational lifestyle stories to engage our customers. To have our hard work recognised by our industry peers is astounding.” We were also delighted to be shortlisted for Best Use of Social Media and Best Customer Experience at Drapers Independent Awards 2021. Hurrah. Former Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman (centre left) with Sarah Murray (centre right), owner of Edinburgh boutique Jane Davidson A Hume team with their Best Multi-channel Retailer Award

Cooler weather equals suave layering. That’s the key message from the new menswear autumn 21 collections in The Store at Restoration Yard. Fine knits, chunky knits and luxuriously soft flannel shirts are all key in soft autumnal tones of dark greens, spicy browns and sleek navy blues. Selected Homme A store team favourite, the Danish brand Selected Homme continues its passion for great quality pieces that with a focus on sharp minimalism for autumn 21. It’s all about creating a mix and match easy-to-wear pieces that are never dull. The result? These are collections synonymous of clean-cut classics with a modern twist. Selected Homme Shirt, £35.00 “Selected Homme The quality is never compromised, ensuring styles that will last.” Selected Homme Selected Homme Jacket, £95.00 Selected Homme Sweater, £45.00 Selected Homme Shirt Jacket, £55.00 Vedoneire Irish brand Vedoneire has been creating high quality menswear now for six decades. The experience behind every collection is clear therefore you can expect gorgeously made men’s classics. These are pieces that speak volumes, without making a big fuss. Looking for easy to wear pieces in your wardrobe? Well, you’ll find the Vedoneire autumn 21 menswear collection packed with them. Think fine knits, checked shirts and classic Harrington jackets. Vedoneire Sweater, £49.95 “Vedoneire men’s collections are produced with a clean, modern look in easy-to-wear styles, designed to suit every individual. On-trend colours and creative details are at the heart of great clothes.” VEDONEIRE Vedoneier Jacket, £120.00 Vedoneire Shirt, £51.95 Vedoneire Sweater, £69.95 Ecoalf Looking for a kinder choice in your autumn 21 closet? Choose Ecoalf. These gilets and jackets are created from fabric made out of recycled plastic bottles yet are super soft to wear. Hurrah. ECOALF Reversible Gilet, £155.00 “By integrating breakthrough technology Ecoalf exclusively develops fabrics for future generations.” EcoAlf Ecoalf Reversible Gilet, £155.00 Ecoalf Jacket, £189.00 Ecoalf Jacket, £189.00 Want to hear all the news from Restoration Yard first? Well, sign up to our newsletters to get 10% off your first online purchase*. Yay. You can also follow us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

So what is key for autumn 21 womenswear at The Store? Well, let’s just say the urge to dress up in ‘we are going out, out’ looks, whatever the occasion, continues. Starve us of social contact for all those many months since last March and it is little wonder. The desire to fling open the closet doors and pull on a dancing dress or a full-on flounce of a skirt is strong. However, we are still loving all those months of comfort dressing so let’s see how the collections have reacted to answer our desire for mixing up full-on glamour with easy-to-wear comfort. Expect colour, print, clever cuts and surprising details. Oh and did we also mention, fast fashion be gone. Forever wardrobe icons are our watch words. Each piece in the collections across The Store at Restoration Yard will transcend the seasons and the years. Timeless perfection. “Those lockdown months have created this feeling of celebration for dressing up for even the most mundane moments in our everyday. “ Sisi Gibreel, head of retail Sisi Gibreel, head of retail at Restoration Yard explains: “Fashion at The Store is less about following trends and more about capturing the Zeitgeist. We know from our conversations on the shop floor that women are feeling the need to look and feel fabulous for every occasion – from the supermarket run to work meetings and beyond to those now most treasured nights out. Those lockdown months have created this feeling of celebration for dressing up for even the most mundane moments in our everyday. However, we are all now used to elevating the need for comfort into our most dressed up looks. Also, we know our customers, more and more, are looking for wiser fashion buying. They want longevity, sustainable choices and kinder fashion. So where possible we buy labels that use sustainably made fabrics and production.” Autumn 21 Womenswear in The Store So, yes, fashion trends still apply but the buying team at Restoration Yard have handpicked pieces that allude to current trends. Looks that will also work hard in the long haul. From camouflage and colour to autumnal prints and global traveller influences, the Autumn 21 collections at The Store will inspire joy in the art of dressing up again. New Camouflage Camo gets reworked for Autumn 21 taking on a feminine flourish. Expect it in flirty dresses, appliqued ‘shirackets’ and sculpted knits at Selected Femme, Pom Amsterdam and Vilagallo. Vilagallo Dress, £165.00 Selected Femme Dress, £65.00 Pom Amsterdam Top, coming soon Vilagallo Shirt Jacket, £229.00 ‘Out,Out’ Outerwear Hurrah, we can socialise once again. The excitement of having a reason to dress up means impact dressing from the moment you leave the house is de rigueur at the moment, whatever the gathering. So make your jacket choice count. Choose showstoppers. Add sparkle. Opt for fake fur. Choose ‘Out, out’ outerwear from Vilagallo and blank. Blank Jacket, £175.00 Vilagallo Jacket, £195.00, and Top, £95.00 Blank Jacket, £185.00 ‘Virtual’ Global Traveller We may not have been able to travel the world for a while but we can live vicariously through our wardrobes as they take in looks from across the globe. From Tibet to Tikal and everywhere in between, the collections at Pom Amsterdam, blank and Vilagallo took influences from far flung places that we can only dream of for now. Try a fake fur trimmed embroidered waistcoat, a dress reminiscent of Tibetan prayer flags or throw on a blanket cape. Who needs to fly anywhere? Blank Gilet, £165.00 Pom Amsterdam Dress, coming soon Vialgallo Poncho, £199.00 Cocooning Knits Knitwear is always an autumn staple. Why because they allow us to layer, layer and layer. Wear this season’s knits under and over dresses, skirts and tailored trousers to nail that comfort meets dressed up glamour vibe. Skinny ribbed knits at Vilagallo work as the perfect underlayer to prolong your summer dress’s wearability as do chunky cardies from Pom Amsterdam and Karen By Simonsen. Vilagallo Sweater, £110.00 Pom Amsterdam Cardigan, coming soon Karen by Simonsen Cardigan, £99.00 Autumnal Colours As the trees change their colour palette so does fashion. Inspired by the turning of the leaves, collections have taken a decidedly autumnal take on print and pattern at Part Two, Masai and Pom Amsterdam. Pom Amsterdam Blouse, coming soon Masai Dress, £150.00 Part Two Dress, £109.95 Pom Amsterdam, coming soon Want to hear all the news from Restoration Yard first? Sign up to our newsletters to get 10% off your first online purchase*. Yay. You can also follow us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Ever find yourself stuck for dinner ideas? Or just short of time? Well, the exciting news is COOK arrives in The Store at Restoration Yard just in time for autumn nights in. Yes, the Foodhall is now stocking the wonderful COOK’s frozen ready meals for one, two or four that taste just as delicious as homemade fayre (perhaps even better depending on your culinary skills) and are full of goodness. Come in store to check out our new COOK selection What to Expect Think tasty favourites like Chilli Con Carne, Beef Bourguignon, Lasagne Al Forno and Cottage Pie. Tastes from around the world including Coq au Vin, Moroccan Harissa Chicken, Beef Madras, Green Thai Curry and Lamb Dupiaza. Something equally gorgeous for Vegetarians – Portobello Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Veg & Chickpea Curry and Roasted Vegetable Lasagne. The offer is wide and varied and hits the freezers in the Foodhall this week. Oh and dessert lovers rejoice. There are sweet treats for all tastebuds. Mojito Cheesecake or Gin & Tonic Semifreddo, anyone? Or perhaps you’re a little more old school and would prefer Sticky Toffee Pudding or Chocolate Roulade. These are perfect pudding for those tricky dinner parties as some of COOK’s desserts serve up to 10. Tasty desserts from COOK are now available to pick up in The Store at Restoration Yard COOK at The Store in Restoration Yard arrives Thursday, September 16. Prices start from £3.50. The COOK Story COOK was founded in 1997 by Edward Perry and Dale Penfold, who had, what felt like madness at the time, the idea of trying to cook and sell frozen ready meals that would be made like you would at home. From one small store in Farnham COOK has grown to a household name with 80 stores across the UK including franchises. Now COOK arrives in The Store at Restoration Yard. Want to hear all the news from Restoration Yard first? Sign up to our newsletters to get 10% off your first online purchase*. Yay. You can also follow us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. * The COOK collection at Restoration Yard is not currently selling on our online store.

Jen Wood, therapist & wellbeing expert at Restoration Yard Jen Wood, our wellbeing expert at Restoration Yard, talks about the importance of social connection through exercise in keeping our minds healthy as well as our bodies “The restoration of the Self is at the heart of our mission here at Restoration Yard. It’s one of the reasons that I love my role here. Through reconnecting with others, we can reconnect with ourselves, and that is so restorative.” Jen Wood We’re forever being reminded that exercise is great for our health and wellbeing. Apart from the obvious benefits of getting fit and toning up, it lowers blood pressure, improves glycaemic control, helps us sleep better and is great for our mental health. One of the less talked about benefits is the social connection we get through exercise. Lockdown has been hard on us in so many ways. Social isolation, combined with poorer food choices, increased consumption of alcohol and reduced fitness due to more sedentary lifestyles has meant weight gain and loss of muscle tone for many of us. We were not designed for a sedentary and socially isolated life. We are meant to be active. Then there’s the mental health risks. The other, perhaps less seen pandemic. Just as we were born to move, we have also evolved to be part of a group or community. Connection is one of our basic human needs. Science has shown us that our need to connect is as strong as our need for food and water. Connecting with others and with nature also has massive benefits. Our bodies release oxytocin – the love molecule – which can help us to feel relaxed, happy and give us that warm fuzzy feeling. It can even significantly increase our longevity. What’s not to love! Group classes offer the combined benefits of exercise and valuable social interaction. For regular attenders this can offer a real sense of community and can be a lifeline for anyone struggling with mental health. The Benefits Just what are the rewards of social connection through exercise on your mental health? Well, there are so many. Here are Jen’s top wellbeing gains on joining a class, indoors or out. Making Friends and building our Social Engagement system When we attend wellbeing classes or exercise in a group, we meet people with a shared interest. When we feel safe, we are usually operating through our Social Engagement System. We have two recognised branches of our autonomic nervous system – the sympathetic or active part and the parasympathetic or resting part. In Polyvagal Theory, Stephen Porges proposes a third part – the Social Engagement System. This third system helps us to connect and navigate relationships from a place of safety. Group exercise encourages us to move into our social engagement system, thus allowing us to become more present and embodied. Buggy Fitness in the Park is a great way to connect socially with other new parents Motivation and Fun It’s so much easier to commit to regular exercise when we do it with others. Also, there is a recognised effect where we feel motivated to work harder when there are others in the group. We are also more likely to keep going until the end of the class. The energy of the group is more than the energy of the individual. This can be extremely motivating. The shared joke or laughter can make all the difference when the going gets tough. Also, the social aspect of a class can be a huge boost when we are still slowly emerging from many months of reduced social interaction. Laughter is so healing. Commitment If you sign up for a class, you are statistically more likely to show up than if you just promised yourself an early morning run. Even better if you arrange to do a class with friends, or if you have a fitness goal to aim for. Pilates for beginners builds strength and new friendships Builds confidence If we can see others in the class who are fitter or more toned, this can give us something to aspire to. Even visualising ourselves as being better can benefit us as the mind can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what we vividly imagine. Reduces stress and increases quality of life By exercising in a group or class, we can reduce our stress levels by up to 26% and significantly increase quality of life, in comparison to exercising alone, scientists found. This is in part due to the community aspect, and mutual encouragement. So, suffice to say, social connection through exercise is good for so many reasons. Come along and try it out at one of our Wellbeing classes. CHECK OUT OUR CLASSES Jen Wood is a coach, psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher with 20 years experience. She is also our Wellbeing Consultant at Dalkeith Country Park. Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. For more information about Jen, visit her website at jenwoodwellbeing.com.

Love art in all its forms? Missed visiting galleries and exhibitions over the past 20-plus months? Inception at Dalkeith Palace in September promises to bring art back to the forefront after the long hiatus suffered by the creative industries. We wanted to meet just a few of the faces behind the art to find out how they got through the hard times of the pandemic and what to expect from them within the works they are bringing to Inception on September 10,11 and 12. Meet the People behind the Art Christine Clark Artist Christine Clark describes her work as suspended dreamscapes – loose and energetic with attention to both draughtsmanship and emotional authenticity. She works mainly in oils as she loves the exuberance and application. Artist Christine Clark “During the pandemic, questions as to how I might sustain my business, and the impact of the pandemic on the arts in general, were continually at the forefront of my mind. Nevertheless, for me painting is an intrinsic compulsion; my only choice was to keep painting. The Artist Support Pledge, an initiative launched by Matthew Burrows, gave artists the opportunity to support each other through sales of small-scale works. It was a saving grace to me and many like me. Upon joining the movement, I began to reflect on the situation we found ourselves in. A new series of figures captured in hourglasses emerged, a symbol of non-linear time, a space of contemplation suspended in time. I was simultaneously working on a series of ‘Wild Blooms’ reflecting the beauty of the human spirit as it turned to nature for renewal. Everything had slowed down and nature prevailed, glorious blooms, bird song ; we became far more attuned to the natural poetry of the landscape.” Christine Clark on Inception “I am absolutely thrilled to be exhibiting alongside my contemporaries in such a unique location. Painters, sculptors, photographers, and ceramists reemerging into the world, finding light under one exquisite roof. Every human on the planet has experienced this pandemic. Each of us finding our own way through enforced periods of solitude makes this feels like a new dawn in so many ways. An exhilarating throwing open of our doors. Allowing fresh air and fresh eyes to join in the celebration of moving forward. My creative process gave me such solace in the dark times. “Inception” is what we have been waiting for and working towards. A brilliant opportunity to connect with such a wonderful team of creatives and present our work to the public.” What you’ll see from Christine Clark at Inception “My new body of work attempts to reflect the beauty of the human spirit as it turns to nature for renewal. Teal, deep emeralds and golds dominate the pallet with splashes of cadmium orange and burnt hues bring warmth. The largest painting ‘Ophelia I’ 130x130cm oil on canvas is a powerful piece; an almost defiant female face emerges from the canvas framed by nature, colourful foliage and herbal energetics. A loose brush stroke of gold sits in front of the eyes which suggests balance and harmony as we begin to move forward. “ Hatti Pattison Hatti Pattison describes her signature style as fluid, often loosely depicting a land or seascape but sometimes abstract. She works mainly in acrylic paints but sometimes also works with mixed media. “When the pandemic hit I had just had my first child. My husband and I had moved up north to live a quieter life for when our son arrived, therefor it was good timing. It was a relief to be away from everything. I had started working again at a pace that worked around our baby’s nap times. I very luckily had a back log of work to get through. My work gave me focus and distraction from the news. I was filled with gratitude to have those pieces to work on otherwise I think things would feel a lot more worrisome. Having exhibitions tend to invigorate new collections so having all future ones cancelled was a bit uninspiring but I was lucky to have orders of hand finished prints through my website which kept me busy. There were some great global movements like Artist Support Pledge and The Hundred Day Challenge and I really saw my creative community push that bit harder and offer more of an online service with showing their work. It was really inspiring to feel the community spirit with us all cheering each other on too. I’m up to date with my commissioned paintings so have managed to carve time to focus solely on my new collection which has been wonderful.” Artist Hatti Pattison Hatti Pattison on Inception “This opportunity of working collaboratively at the Dalkeith Palace with a group of amazing artists could not be welcomed more. We are finally doing a show. Hurrah! It will be a unique show. I feel invigorated, excited and grateful. It’s a fantastic opportunity to reconnect IN PERSON with artists and with the public coming in and viewing our collections. I cannot wait and feel very grateful to be asked. “” What you’ll see from Hatti Pattison at Inception “This collection which I will be showcasing at the exhibition “Inception’ is a real mix of scale and theme. I feel it is pieces of many of my collections. It has seascapes and landscapes, which are really close to my heart. There are some new colour palettes and a slightly new direction with my abstract pieces too. I haven’t been doing any physical exhibitions till now since the pandemic. It therefore seems the flood gates have opened and its all coming out! It’s exciting. It’s an incredible release for me. I’m looking forward to curating it. To seeing the storyline of the collection reveal itself without me having to overthink it prior to the exhibition.” Jonathan Freemantle Artist Jonathan Freemantle works primarily in oil, on linen or canvas. He makes his own paint as he is interested in the alchemical aspects of painting. He has recently begun working in stone too as well as some digital media.  Of his work he says: “My training was deeply traditional. This anchors my practice, which is rooted in observational drawing and painting. Over the years I have moved more towards gesture and expression so my work will oscillate between abstract and figurative. I see no important distinction between the two. I am influenced by African masks, Hellenic and Renaissance art. It immersively dives into wild nature and post impressionist landscape painting. ” Artist Jonathan Freemantle “Although in many ways the pandemic has been a challenging time, I’ve found it equally liberating. I moved my studio to a smaller space at home and embraced Instagram as a sales tool. I completed a 100 day challenge and am half way through a 200 day challenge, where I post a new work online every day. All the work has sold, and I’m now making two bodies of larger works for exhibition. It feels good to be scaling up again. The daily discipline has been excellent, and I’ve loved having my family involved in my studio practice. “ What you’ll see from Jonathan Freemantle at Inception “The body of work on show are gestural paintings that sit between Fauve landscape and Japanese expressionistic Gutai. Although, hopefully they speak a language of their own. I’m painting from an instinct rather than a literal inspiration. With these works I am particularly excited by the dance between order and chaos. “ Taisir Gibreel Artist and textile designer Taisir Gibreel works primarily with acrylics on canvas and paper. Bold gestural strokes, layering of paint and organic marks weave in and out of Gibreel’s work. She says of her work: “I oscillate between using a wide array of colours and limiting my colour palette. Colour, texture and application is the narrative. Whether I use bold loose strokes or subtle sensitive strokes is how I communicate my story. So all my paintings are born from a desire to communicate an emotion. I would describe myself therefore as an abstract expressionist painter.” “The last 18 months have been a roller coaster of many emotions. Defining features have been the resilience, overwhelming innovation and support fellow artists have shown one another. Initially, I was gripped with fear, unsure of what the future might hold as all exhibitions started to fall away. Like many, I immersed myself in the news, however with time I found solace through social media where the artists’ community really came together. “ Artist Taisir Gibreel Taisir Gibreel on Inception “I am absolutely thrilled to be exhibiting alongside so many wonderful artists in this stunning location. I am inspired, exhilarated, reenergized and simply over the moon to be involved with the such an exciting new beginnings. Inception couldn’t be a more perfect setting to showcase a body of work that was born out of challenging times.” What you’ll see from Taisir Gibreel at Inception I conceived and executed Inner Dialogue over the last 14 month period throughout the recent events that has separated artists from so much of their inspirations. The collection begins at a point of frustration – the start of an inner dialogue in which the mind becomes trapped within a circular narrative. This narrative is broken by a moment of self-confrontation. It is a breakthrough point from which a cathartic process can begin, therefore reaching towards a new beginning. What is Inception? Inception, is an exciting new art sales exhibition launching this September 10,11 and 12. It will showcase the work of handpicked British artists. In a world adapting to Covid-19, Inception allows artists, who have endured extremely tough times over these past 20 months, to collaboratively present their collections to the public. Artists’ collections are showing in ‘found spaces’ within Dalkeith Palace. BOOK YOUR TICKETS Want to stay up-to-date with all our Restoration Yard news? Sign up to our newsletters and you’ll get 10% off your first purchase in our online store. You can also follow us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.