This Friday, Turning Point Scotland’s AccessArt will open the Passengers Exhibition at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

The new exhibition was inspired by AccessArt participant Jim Lynn who has a passion for model buses, owning a growing collection of more than 400 miniature vehicles.

Turning Point Scotland Senior Arts & Crafts Co-ordinator, Steven Burnie said the development of the exhibition began after Jim brought some of his collection to workshops for other participants to engage with.

‘‘Being able to see, touch and hold the buses brought back memories and stories of bus journeys and the places we had been,’’ he said.

‘‘We talked about the repeated journeys we make, like the daily commute to work or school and wanted to incorporate this idea of repetition visually in an artwork.’’

Jim began his bus collection in 1969 when his mother bought him his first model, a hobby he has continued ever since.

‘‘My best memory of buses was when Stagecoach in Carlisle had an open day,’’ he said.

‘‘They had a Routemaster and old Stagecoach buses on display you could look around in. I was on six buses that day, I was busy.’’

The final artworks included in the Passengers Exhibition are a combination of, observational drawings of buses, abstracted through repetition and duplication, collaged onto side profile portraits of bus passengers.

Each portrait is unique, but all are produced in the same mediums and by the same techniques and processes, line drawings in pen, with no colour or shading.

The exhibition is hosted in partnership with DG Creative Wellbeing, a ground-breaking project in Dumfries and Galloway that enhance people’s wellbeing, communities, and healthcare environments through artistic and cultural opportunities, events, and activities.

The exhibition is for patients, staff, and visitors in a new permanent exhibition space at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary until Tuesday 30 April.

Lucy Bell, DG Creative Wellbeing Creative Health & Wellbeing Director said:
“DG Creative Wellbeing is delighted to be working with Turning Point Scotland’s AccessArt to showcase the Passengers Exhibition at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary. The uniqueness of the portraits will provide a real talking point for patients, staff, and visitors.”

A portrait included in the Passengers Exhibition opening on Friday.