Research Interests

About

Dr Karen Mailley has an MA Joint (Hons) and an MLitt in Decorative Arts & Design History from the University of Glasgow. She was a Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities ARCS funded PhD Researcher at the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art completing her studies in 2021.

Her thesis The Glasgow Society of Lady Artists (1882-1942): A Feminist Sanctum of Visibility, Opportunity and Community? provides a comprehensive overview of the members of the society and women related to the club house.

The research investigates:

  • Women’s artistic & architectural production.

  • Impact and growth of networks within a local, national and international context.

  • Investigation of the relationship between gender, space, class and the Glasgow built environment during this period.

Karen has been published in various journals and online platforms including The Scottish Society for Art History, The Decorative Arts Society Journal, Decorating Dissidence and Historic Environment Scotland.

Header image: Sam Ainsley’s studio featuring her artworks, private tour, 2022.

After a short break, due to a death in the family, I am now back at my laptop once again delving into Scotland’s women artists. Jessie Mary McGeehan (1872-1950) produced several decorative pieces for churches across Glasgow, but the image show
On #internationalwomensday 2022 here’s a small selection of images from the ‘Entheos’ exhibition launch at @rgiglasgow. The exhibition features seven artists including @femme.castratrice @greerpester @janie.nicoll @mortonvikki @her
I usually try to not post stuff about me/featuring me on this account but I had the best day afternoon with @sharonthomasart & Jean McFadden (what an absolute legend). I mean, look at my face getting my hands on an original ‘Glasgow Girls&r
‘The Immortals’ are forever immortalised in a photo album held in the Glasgow School of Art Archives & Collections (DC004/9). The photograph album, which is part of a collection of Jessie Keppie’s papers, records the various ant
The Rajah Quilt (named after the ship) is noted as being one of the world’s ‘most important textiles’. It is a hand-stitched patchwork quilt which was made by convicts, all women, who were on the ship Rajah. There were several women
Scottish-Ghanaian feminist, educator, writer, photographer, and activist Maud Sulter (1960-2008) was born in the Gorbals in Glasgow before moving to London to study fashion at the London College of Fashion. She was awarded an MA in 1990 at Derby Scho
Photograph of Dr Adele Patrick (from @womenslibrary) in front of Helen Flockhart’s painting ‘Mother and Earth’ featured in the Women’s Own Annual Exhibition at The Glasgow School of Art Assembly Halls as part of the celebratio
*Ok, I need your help!* The Glasgow Society or Lady Artists Clubhouse at 5 Blythswood Square is currently looking in very bad condition. I think it is lying empty with windows open (see later images). This building is important for many reasons: Th
Currently showing at Perth Creative Exchange in Stormont Street, ‘Little Malaise’ features the latest body of work from Perth-based artist Kate Bell (@katesvignettes). A contemporary arts practitioner predominantly working with filmic i
Photographer @eliza_coulson will be showing work @rgiglasgow as part of the ‘Urban Potentials: Responses to the built environment’. Other artists, architects & photographers include @ciaramcinnes @mollyhankinson.studio @edithault &amp
Dame Elizabeth Blackadder is known for her depictions of cats and flowers. Blackadder’s work features several black cats and although not directly linked to witchcraft I thought I would do a short post on her work and the symbolic meaning of th
Crows feature heavily in folklore and mythology (associated with the Norse God Odin, feature in Greek mythology, and Celtic mythology with the warrior goddess Morrighan - the list goes on and on) and now usually feature as a part of Halloween traditi
‘When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurly-burly’s done when the battle’s lost and won. That will be ere the set of sun.’ - Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1. The witching season is upon us and
Artist and Designer, Mary Evelyn Beale studied at the GSA from 1917 to 1920, where she undertook day classes in Drawing & Painting and Modelling. Beale was a competent all-round designer and in 1908 she produced ‘An Edinburgh Alphabet&rsquo
More on Dr Mary Armour Mary Nicol Neill Armour (1902-2000) was an artist, painter & teacher. She is best known for her still life and landscape oil paintings. Armour studied at #glasgowschoolofart from 1920 before training to become an art teach
MURALS, MURALS EVERYWHERE! Everyone loves a mural - especially in Glasgow! Walking around the city you can see brilliant examples of large-scale mural work by artists in 2021 such as @mollyhankinson.studio. Molly has created pieces for the Shawland
Born to Irish and French parents, artist, designer, and teacher Dorothy Carleton Smyth born in Glasgow in 1880. She began her studies at Manchester School of Art studying under Walter Crane, later continuing her training at Glasgow School of Art unde
Now referred to as one of the 'Glasgow Girls', Gray was born in Helensburgh to shipowner, George Gray. She studied drawing at ‘The Studio’ at Craigendoran before going to study at GSA. A prolific portrait painter Gray exhibited with the
Today at @womenslibrary I’ll be talking about artists Jessie M.King & Dorothy Carleton Smyth in relation to pageants. If you fancy it, tickets via @womenslibrary 📸 Jessie M.King @natgalleriessco 📸Dorothy Carleton Smyth @gsaarchives
The Mercat Cross in Glasgow has a wealth of connections with women. The building was designed by the architect Edith Burnet Hughes (1888-1971) who commissioned Margaret Primrose Findlay (1902-1968) to design the unicorn to sit on the column and the a
 

Areas of interest:

  • 19th & 20th Century British History

  • Gendered spaces

  • History of social/professional clubs

  • Gender in relation to the built environment

  • Protest & activism since 1880

  • Scottish feminist networks & connectivity

  • Artistic communities & teaching

  • Feminist art and artists