Damian Callan: Paint Like Renoir. The Edinburgh artist launches his new book, in which he explains and deconstructs Renoir’s methods of handling oils, and demonstrates some of the techniques illustrated in the book. 12.45-1.30pm, Clore Education Suite, Gardens Level, Gardens Entrance, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Researching Your World War One Family: The Museum of Edinburgh presents the Reverend Garry Ketchen, Scottish Baptist Minister and Great War historian, who has written biographical accounts of names mentioned on numerous Great War Memorials. Rev Ketchen will look at what resources are available to help discover military service details about those who served in the First World War, including personal family history, military material available on web-based resources, local libraries and newspapers. 10.30am, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £5/£3.30 and may be purchased in person from the Box Office, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here (Phone & online bookings are subject to a transaction fee).
Lunchtime Concert: Valdosta State University Choir, Valdosta, Georgia USA. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Dementia Awareness Week 2015: Information Day at Cameron Toll. Come and meet the Alzheimer Scotland team and Dementia Adviser. 10am-4pm, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, Lady Road.
Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE: a new exhibition by one of Scotland’s most cherished artists. The core of Gunn Cairns’ practice is expressive figurative work, including portraits and wildlife studies. ‘Joyce Gunn Cairns’ remarkable paintings demonstrate how many different kinds of visual truths there are’ (Duncan Macmillan, The Scotsman). Preview tonight 6-8pm, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Ends 4th July 2015.
Music in the Gallery: students from Edinburgh College play a selection of classical, jazz and folk music. 1pm and 3pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. Free: no booking required.
Dementia Awareness Week 2015: Information Day at Linlithgow Cross. Come and meet the Alzheimer Scotland team aboard the Memory Bus. 10am-4pm, Linlithgow Cross, High Street.
St Mark’s Festival 2015 – Music on a Summer Evening: Dalkeith and Monktonhall Colliery Brass Band. One of the UK’s top brass bands will play an evening of music for all ages and tastes…Latin, classical, rock, pop, traditional and modern. Conductor: James Chamberlain. 7.30pm, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Tickets cost £5 (under 16s free) on the door or in advance from the church.
Art of the Storyteller: Grace Banks and Jean Edmiston. A new series of regular storytelling performances, featuring traditional storyteller Grace Banks and Jean Edmiston, who has a lifelong love of landscape and rural life. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 (transaction fee applies to online and telephone bookings) and may be purchased online here, by calling 0131 556 9579 or in person at the centre.
A Quick Decision Can Be Made – a story of the Detained Fast-Track procedure for asylum seekers. Claiming asylum in the UK, like thousands of refugees each year, Mariam is put into the Detained Fast-Track procedure. An endless questioning begins, one that will strip down her whole life. Is she telling the truth? Can she? A cruel tale written and directed by Marie Yan for Refugee Festival Scotland, to scrutinise the absurdity of a system as it ‘celebrates’ its twelfth birthday. 7.30pm, Discovery 21, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Tickets cost £5 and may be purchased in advance via Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies) or on the door, sta (theatre has 35 seats). Also at same time on Saturday 6th June and at 2pm on Sunday 7th June 2015. Discovery 21 is a new studio theatre run by local companies Tightlaced Theatre and Black Dingo Productions. Refugee Festival Scotland runs 3rd-21st June 2015: it is centered in Glasgow but includes events throughout the country.
If you could only see yourself: The Odd Work a new exhibition by Edinburgh-based freelance artist, illustrator and writer Alice B Spicer, whose working practice stems from ‘a love of line-making, visual and textual documentation, and the sheer joy of making things up’. Preview tonight at 8pm, then during normal opening hours throughout June, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk.
Jill MacLeod: Extending the Line. A new exhibition by the Fife-born, Edinburgh-based, artist whose mainly abstract painting is influenced by nature, landscape and organic materials. Preview tonight 5.30-9pm, then 11am-5pm Monday to Wednesday, 5-7pm Thursday and 1-5pm Friday to Sunday, Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall, off Hamilton Place. Ends 14th June 2015.
