Julia Scammell - Hollywood to Hawick: A celebration of old Hollywood and a love of fashion and glamour

Growing up watching Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers films with her mum on Saturday afternoons, Julia Scammell was captivated by the glamorous dresses, music, and dancing and she soon developed a lifelong love of both Hollywood and fashion. Drawing inspiration from illustrators like René Gruau and Hawick artist Alastair Michie, who once created artwork for the Hawick mills in their heyday, Julia’s work evokes the fashions and glamour of the time.

The exhibition also features some of the artist’s mother’s dresses from the 1940s, which are very much in the style of Christian Dior’s New Look. This style, with its full skirts and cinched waists, was both controversial and celebrated for emphasising women’s shapes. Visitors are invited to enjoy the exhibition and take a nostalgic journey back to a time when casual wear was unheard of!

The exhibition is dedicated to Julia’s mother, Grace, who instilled in her a deep love for the arts. All proceeds from any artwork sales will be donated to Hawick’s Artbeat charity, an organisation that has given the artist invaluable support and encouragement.