First up is Mark McCracken, a “Postdigital” artist who creates portraits of popular culture icons and is showcasing a unique printing technique for the first time.  Each week he’s been pinning up a new local “Icon” at the gallery, exposing and laying bare his process for open critique along the way, which is a pretty brave thing to do.

Mark’s exhibition runs until 30 April, here’s what he has to say about his work.  Video by Fraser Denholm.

Five Minutes With… Mark McCracken from Fraser Denholm on Vimeo.

Self-explanatory title.  New exhibitions opening on Saturday (previews 6-8pm on Friday, all welcome) are:

The Obsidian Isle by Gayle Chong Kwan and Kin, a Gray’s School of Art pre-Degree Show, um, show.

That is all.

Unashamed copy/paste from press release below.  Looks interesting.

The Aberdeen public will get the opportunity to be the first to see new work by American artist and ceramist Ehren Tool.  A former Sergeant in the US Marine Corp and Gulf war Veteran, he left the service and began his studies at The University of California, Berkley, graduating in 2005 with a Masters Degree in Fine Art. Having exhibited extensively across America, Germany and France and with work on permanent display at the Pentagon, Ehren, based in California, has teamed up with Scottish arts collaborative Stray Dog to bring his first UK exhibition to Aberdeen.  ”Humble Occupation” will run from 20th to 26th February and will feature an installation of his signature ceramic cups finished with images, carvings and text that present ongoing realities of war and conflict shared by many.

Over one hundred cups have been made and shipped over from California.  Jim Ewen of Stray Dog says “It’s a privilege to present new work by Ehren, even more so as it was made especially for this exhibition in Aberdeen.  Ehren is an artist recognised at an international level and it is our hope that the public will visit the gallery to view his thought-provoking work that resonates as much now as when he first started.”

An exhibition which opens tonight (Friday) at Limousine Bull.  ”Asmita Sarkar and Katarina Chomova have left home and are making art in an alien place. One of the dominant themes of the show is how marks, patterns and gesture depict pleasure and pain, hopes and fear.”

Peacock Visual Arts‘ open exhibition is back after a two-year break, and while there will be plenty on show from established artists, the most interesting stuff may well be from those of whom we know very little.

It kicks-off from 6-8pm on Friday 11 November with an open-to-all wee shindig, complete with mulled wine and mince pies.  Hmmm, sounds suspiciously Christmassy.  A full six weeks before Christmas.  Ach well, might as well start as you mean to go on…

Screenprint: “Evermore” by David McCracken

Two new exhibitions open at Peacock Visual Arts this weekend: Inchoate Landscapes, a new suite of prints (pictured below) from recognised Scottish artist Toby Paterson and Black and White, a selection of monochrome work by the likes of John Bellany and David Shrigley. Previews for both from 6-8pm on Friday 9 September with all welcome…

The third annual Fabric of the Land exhibition is underway. Seeking to explore the links between art and science, the theme of this year’s show is “Elements” and features 68 creative works by artists from around the UK. It’s also a good excuse to have a nose around the university (especially the new library building, which opens next month) before the students arrive…

Artwork by Robert Dolman

The WLD/WLVS folks present a new exhibition from Aberdeen artists Stu Ford and Stu Allan. Two Stus. Stwo. See? So, Stu stuff, Sunday. Sweet.

OK, enough S’s. We’ve heard a rumour that some free drinkies from Brewdog and anCnoc whisky may well be on offer too, making this a pretty damn good way to spend your Sunday evening…

A new exhibition of works about drawing as a time-based medium from Nottingham-based artist Pete McPartlan. Preview from 7pm on Friday 5 August at Limousine Bull. Expect the kind of thing you see below. Anyone else making a “static” noise while you look at it? Just me then? OK…

A double opening on Friday from 6pm: Natalie McIlroy’s Migrate, Replicate which features large-scale video projections of Scottish landscapes (below, until 27 August) and Drawing Connections, a series of prints from Hannah Redpath (until 30 July).