
Tell me about your career prior to 2021…
I was Principal of George Heriot’s School, a leading independent school in Edinburgh. I worked at Heriot’s for 26 years. I taught in the junior school, became head of the junior school and then Principal. I was the first woman to take that role in the school’s 400-year history. I retired in 2021.
What made you decide to run an art gallery?
I’ve always loved art and have collected art for a long time. After I retired, I took a Masters in Art History at St Andrews University and loved it. The total immersion in art was captivating and I learned so much, not just about art but about history and about life! Following the Masters, I spent four months at Sotheby’s in London learning about the art business. That was fascinating, a totally different experience to anything I have done in my life. After Sotheby’s, I was talking to Roderick Fraser, the owner of the Fraser Gallery, and we decided it would suit both of us if I were to take over the business. And here I am!
Is running a gallery anything like running a school?
When running a very large school, I worked with a huge team of professionals who had expertise in all aspects of education and business. As owner of a gallery, I am responsible for doing everything, from changing lightbulbs and paying invoices to meeting with artists and clients. It’s incredibly busy and very exciting!
‘The total immersion in art was captivating and I learned so much.’
Describe a typical day, if there is one….
A typical day starts with a run along the West Sands with my yellow labrador, Hattie. I pick up a coffee on way to work and first thing every morning is a meeting with Allan, who makes all our bespoke frames and shipping cartons. Then, if the weather is fine, paintings are hung in our outdoor gallery in the garden. Throughout the day, I talk with clients, take photos of new art, post stories on social media, hang paintings and plan exhibitions. I have been bringing a lot of new artists into the Gallery, and love learning about their inspiration, techniques and their stories.
What was your introduction to art?
I have three brothers, and every Sunday my father would either take us up a Munro or to Kelvingrove Art Gallery, probably to give my mother five minutes peace and quiet! We chased around looking at stuffed animals and pressing buttons on model trains, but we were also dazzled by Egyptian art and artefacts, and loved comparing long noses on portraits of noblemen!
‘The art market is very fickle and tastes change, so investment buying doesn’t make sense.‘
What was the first piece of art you bought?
I started with prints and remember buying a print of Giovanni Bellini’s Doge Leonardo Loredan on a visit to the National Portrait Gallery in London. I still love that painting. My first piece of original art was a small, blue abstract painting by Simon Laurie.
What kinds of works do you like to collect?
I have a wide range. I have quite a lot of Scottish contemporary art like John Byrne, John Bellany and Alberto Morrocco, but I do also like modern British art. I have some pieces by artists who are not well known, but I like them.


Are there any purchases you have been particularly excited about?
I like portraits! One of my most exciting art purchases was Mr Hedges by modern British artist Christopher Chamberlain, which I bought at auction. When the painting arrived, it was even better than I expected. I never tire of wondering what Mr Hedges is thinking, and what his life has been. In a similar vein, I have Mr Norrie, painted by Ian Fleming while he was warden at Hospitalfield, Arbroath. John Norrie was the head gardener there for 16 years. He looks like a proud man.


Have you ever changed your mind about a work of art?
Yes – the work of Sir Peter Paul Rubens! I studied a module on Rubens and Rembrandt during my Masters because I have always admired Rembrandt. However, I became a complete convert to Rubens – what a fascinating artist!
Has a work of art ever changed your life?
Once, when I was visiting my mother-in-law in Suffolk, I came across a painting called Two Girls on a Pierhead, Walberswick, by Philip Wilson Steer, in a book of Suffolk art. I was immediately struck by the amazing light in the picture and wanted to seek out more of his work. I went on to write my dissertation on him. I was intrigued by the fluctuations in his popularity at different points in his career and discovered the role and influence of particular gallerists on his fame and fortune. He was a founder member, with Sickert, of the New English Art Club (NEAC) in 1885, and I’m thrilled now to have works by several NEAC artists in the gallery.
If you could own any work of art by any artist (practical considerations aside), what would it be?
The Silk Dress by Eleanor Allen Moore because it is a feisty self portrait done by a Glasgow Girl, a group that was overlooked for so long.
What advice would you give to people who are interested in starting to collect art?
Buy what you like to look at. There’s no point saying you must buy only landscapes or only portraits, buy what you enjoy seeing. The art market is very fickle and tastes change, so investment buying doesn’t make sense. People think that if you buy a Picasso you will always get your money back, but that’s not always the case, even famous artists go in and out of fashion. Also, you will learn as you go. The more you start to collect things, the more you want to know.
What are you looking forward to?
I am excited about our Francis Boag exhibition in September and I am already planning several future exhibitions. I am also excited about helping new young artists. In August we put on a show by Katherine Wai, whose work I discovered at the degree show at Edinburgh College of Art. I love to see new artists joining our excellent existing gallery artists.
:: Francis Boag: September Song is at the Fraser Gallery, 53 South Street, St Andrews, Sep 6-27. For more information about the gallery visit www.frasergallery.co.uk