Inverleith House and a Russian restaurant in Edinburgh

An image from Morton's 2002 exhibition in Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh

Today I went into Edinburgh, mainly to get some paper from print workshop for my Open Studios preparation. But I took the opportunity of visiting Inverleith House in the Botanic Gardens to see the exhibition by Victoria Morton.

I admire Morton's painting, as well as her strong feminist agenda. Her work has three aspects: the social role of painting (or its folk lore), her personal experiences, and her engagement with the materials. I was interested to see that she acknowledges how important "bodily drives" are, as well as conceptual exploration, in complex image making.

In this exhibition she includes small exploratory works on paper or board, as well as sculptural pieces. These are shown alongside large "completed" canvases, which show all the enviable complexity and beauty I associate with Morton's work. I was still feeling a little tired from my cold today, so only stayed a few moments at Inverleith, otherwise I could write more.

On the way back to city centre I stopped at a small cafe in Canonmills for a quick lunch. Memorable, also. This place, called "Russian Passion) (no website as yet) is the only authentic Russian restaurant in Scotland and is a site of pilgrimage for many. I had cabbage soup and then some ordinary looking shiny bread rollls, piroski?, which were deliciously filled with cabbage, or else a mixture of sausage and cabbage.

This particular bodily experience was of the highest quality. Tastes and textures were delicate but robust, and everything felt as though it included that vital ingredient of love and care. A rare experience.

I do not always feel that great on my city trips. Perhaps I am just unaccustomed to the bustle and buzz! But I get such a delayed boost from the visits to Edinburgh, Glasgow and far beyond.