Art Exhibition 2007 Launch

Artist James Russell with Janet Brown and John Leighton.

The SQA Art Exhibition, organised in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland, was launched on Tuesday 23 October 2007 with an event that allowed the artists, their teachers and families, and the Exhibition’s sponsors to see the works on display before the Exhibition was opened to the public.

• More about our sponsors

Art Exhibition promotional bag.

The artists and their guests were welcomed by SQA Chief Executive Dr Janet Brown and Director of Operations Karen McCallum; John Leighton, Director General of the National Galleries of Scotland, and Michael Clarke, Director of the National Gallery of Scotland also addressed the guests.

Dr Janet Brown commented, ‘The National Gallery of Scotland is an iconic venue and a superb, but also fitting, setting for these wonderful works of art. Not only does it provide a fantastic backdrop but it has also allowed us to include such a wide range of works, and with so many excellent works from which to choose the selection process was not an easy one.’

Mask by Andrew Brennan.

‘The works of art that were finally selected are not being displayed simply because they were awarded top marks but because they show the quality, depth and the breathtaking imagination and creativity of our young artists,’ continued Dr Brown.

‘Of course we would like to have included many more, but we are happy that those on display show teachers, students, parents and the wider public the quite exceptional levels of work being produced by students, with support from their teachers, the length and breadth of Scotland. We thank them all for their hard work over the past year.’

Michael Clarke, Director of the National Gallery of Scotland, said, ‘We are delighted to be the venue for this important exhibition. Who knows, today’s young artists could be tomorrow’s Old Masters!’

Sculpture by Harley Corke-Ogg.

Launch event guests.

Students admire the work on display.

Students at launch event.

Artists examine their goodie bags.

Guests at launch event.

Students admire the design exhibits.

The Exhibition ran from 24 October 2007 until 4 January 2008 at the IT Gallery in the National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh.