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In Focus: The wild visions of Scotland which made it 'a playground for the rich' as the native Gaels faced typhoid, famine and eviction
Mary Miers visits the National Museum of Scotland's latest exhibition, 'Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland', and sees how as native Gaels faced typhoid, famine and eviction, their homeland was turned into a playground for the rich, the ancient culture sentimentalised by Scotch-themed decor and kitsch souvenirs.
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HOME, Leeds: A restaurant with authenticity, passion and homespun touches — and how to make one of their finest dishes
Mary Miers visited HOME, a Leeds restaurant with authenticity, passion and homespun touches — and also found out how to make one of their finest dishes.
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A unique tour of Bolivia, from cathedrals and markets to the world’s first salt hotel
It's often overlooked, but the South American country of Bolivia holds all manner of wonders for the discerning traveller, as Mary Miers discovered.
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In Focus: The vast trove of watercolours documenting the world as it looked before photography
The explosion in watercolour painting in the 18th century came not from artists' studios but rather from the unbeatable practicality of this medium prior to the birth of portable cameras. Mary Miers explains how these pictures are now being put to use once more.
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The stained-glass maker: 'It's powerful, volatile... too overwhelming for domestic settings'
Thomas Denny is one of the few people left in Britain making stained glass for churches. He spoke to Mary Miers.
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The wool-spinner still using an 1899 loom and a method handed down for 230 years
Toby Tottle embraces the traditional process of textile production in Mainland Britain's only surviving district woollen mill.
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Curious Questions: How do the genuine experts go about tasting whisky?
Developing a true appreciation of whisky is both a serious art and a delightful science – but how do the experts go about it? We spoke to Charles MacLean, the world's foremost whisky expert, to get his tips.
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The Royal Academy at 250: 'It's like a wonderful Bentley that you discover unused in a barn'
The artist and President of the Royal Academy on its 250th anniversary year.
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The Glassblower: 'When something goes wrong you can't fix it – you just sling in into the bosh bucket and start again'
Ian Shearman's team of glassblowers are still making glass using a technique that's 2,000 years old. Mary Miers found out how it's done.
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Tweed is good. Tweed works – even in the era of GoreTex
Tweeds are woven into the very warp and weft of the Scottish landscape, as Mary Miers discovered during a visit to a tweed house that’s been making this versatile fabric for 160 years. Photographs by Roddy Mackay.
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Torosay Castle: The Hebridean shooting lodge that stayed in one family for 150 years
Mary Miers tells the story of a Victorian shooting lodge owned by the same family for 147 years – with photographs by Simon Jauncey taken by Country Life shortly before the house and its contents were sold.
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Two middle-aged ladies, one beautiful Fiat, and a magical week in Umbria
Mary Miers teamed up with an old friend as she visited one of Italy's most enchanting regions.
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Extreme eating: remote restaurants worth the journey
Whether reached by foot, ferry or clever map-reading, they’re all well worth the trek.
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Exhibition: The Fabric of India
Mary Miers is enthralled by the dazzling highlight of the V&A's India Festival.
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Norman Ackroyd at Eames Fine Art Gallery, London
Norman Ackroyd is never happier than when sketching remote islands in stormy weather. Mary Miers joins him.
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The best art exhibitions to visit this June
Read our comprehensive list of the best art exhibitions around the country to visit this June.
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Exhibition review: Julie Brook at Little Buckland Gallery, Worcestershire
Mary Miers meets Julie Brook, an artist and film-maker who is drawn to remote, primordial landscape.
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The best art exhibitions opening in January
Read our comprehensive list of the best art exhibitions around the country that opened in the past month.
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The best art exhibitions to visit this February
Read our comprehensive list of the best art exhibitions around the country to visit this February.
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The best art exhibitions to visit this December
Read our comprehensive list of the best art exhibitions around the country to visit this December.
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The best art exhibitions to visit this November
Read our comprehensive list of the best art exhibitions around the country to visit this November.
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Clare Mackie selling exhibition in Edinburgh
Mary Miers meets Country Life's weekly contributor Clare Mackie as she prepares for a selling exhibition of her ‘My Week’ illustrations
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The history of tartan
The story of how a Highland tradition became the badge of Scotland’s national identity is full of paradox and misconceptions says Mary Miers.
