Visit to Hornel's House

A Visit to Hornel's House in Kirkcudbright My connection to Edward Atkinson Hornel began when I was a child. My mum once took me to the Glasgow City Chambers, where there is a large room filled with his paintings. I was utterly obsessed with them. The colours, the brushstrokes, and most of all, the children who looked so much like dolls — it was no wonder he became one of my favourite artists. Many years later, I had the chance to visit his home in Kirkcudbright with my husband, my best friend Lynn Howarth (the wonderful pastel artist behind LynnHowarthArt), and her partner Rob. Lynn and I have been friends for over 30 years, and together we've shared countless exhibitions, festivals, and gallery visits. This trip was another memory to add to our long thread of friendship and art. As I walked into Hornel's main gallery room, one painting stopped me in my tracks. It instantly reminded me of the Annette Himstedt doll, Masha, who had only arrived in my collection the Friday before. The resemblance was uncanny — as if the spirit of Hornel's children and Himstedt's dolls were intertwined. During the visit we learned more about Hornel's process. He often photographed local children and used them as models, combining their likenesses with the inspiration he gathered from his travels to Japan. It struck me how similar this was to the work of Philip Heath, who also travelled the world, photographing beautiful children to use as studies for his sculpted dolls. It was a moment of realisation for me: that whether through paint, pastel, or porcelain, artists like Hornel, Heath, and Himstedt were all reaching for the same thing — capturing the innocence, beauty, and timeless presence of children, and translating it into art that speaks across generations.