How a Tayport daughter surprised her artist father

The bond between a father and daughter is often described as unique and special.

It’s a relationship characterised by love, trust, support, and understanding.

But when Tayport artist Pete Glen reflects on how his artist daughter Tess broke the news to him that she had organised a joint exhibition for them, he laughs that it all came as a bit of a shock.

“It must have been Christmas 2023,” explains Pete, 60, who grew up in Dundee’s Menzieshill.

“In-between giving each other gifts, she gave me this hand drawn invite and it had ‘you are invited to a joint exhibition of Tess and Pete Glen blah blah blah’.

Artist Pete Glen and his artist daughter Tess are exhibiting together at the Harbour Cafe in Tayport. Image: Pete Glen.

“I was like ‘that’s hilarious, how funny’.

“She said ‘no dad, it’s booked, we’re going to be having it’!

“I was like ‘ok’!

“That obviously became a motivation to have art work ready for the exhibition.”

Tayport Harbour Cafe asked for a second art exhibition

Pete had just a few weeks to gather material for that first exhibition held at the Harbour Café in Tayport early in the year.

Curated by John Gray, who has a background in public art with Dundee City Council, the exhibition went down a treat.

But when the Harbour Café got back in touch to say there had been a cancellation and asked if the pair would like to exhibit for a second time this April, they were delighted to say yes.

Beyond the Glens exhibition. Tayport Harbour Cafe. Image: Pete Glen

The exhibition called Beyond the Glens, launched on March 31 and runs until April 27, with an open night held on April 20.

What inspires artwork of father and daughter Pete and Tess Glen?

Pete is a local artist who worked for 35 years in community development and youth work, art and higher education.

He recently retired from lecturing at Dundee University and plans to immerse himself further into art and creative adventures.

His current work is inspired by the surrounding area and the beauty of the ever-changing landscapes, seas and skies.

One of Pete Glen’s locally-inspired artworks on display at Tayport Harbour Cafe. Image: Pete Glen.

Meanwhile, Tess, 28, a former pupil of Tayport Primary and Madras College in St Andrews, studied fine art at Edinburgh College of Art.

She went on to gain a scholarship to the postgraduate programme at the Royal Drawing School in London.

She has exhibited at Christies, the RSA: New Contemporaries and Hidden Door Festival.

She currently teaches on the online young artist programme at the Royal Drawing School and at Birchwood Arts in Edinburgh.

In this exhibition, she presents etchings and paintings imbued with narrative.

One of Tess Glen’s artworks, on display at Tayport Harbour Cafe. Image: Pete Glen.

She works from observation and imagination, using the spaces and settings around her as a starting point.

Importance of father and daughter relationship

“I’ve always been into art,” explains Pete, who has three daughters, and, now he’s retired, hopes to enrol in the masters in fine art course at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design this September.

“Probably my passion for that, and Tess’ mum as well, has always been creative.

“So I think our passion for galleries and art and just being creative is ‘apple falling from the tree’ a wee bit in terms of the family are all creative and can see how important art is.

“Tess has always had a real passion for it.

“She was hilarious because when she was 18 she’s looking at uni and says she wants to go to art college.

“I said ‘look, I’ve got a friend in Duncan of Jordanstone who would be willing to look at your work’.

“Tess had been this quiet soul working away in her tiny bedroom, and she brought this portfolio to the art college.

“Janice who was the person at the art college was like ‘oh my god, she’s going to get accepted for every art college’ – and she did, she got accepted for every one and went to Edinburgh.”

Artist daughter a ‘great inspiration’ for artist father

Pete says he’s “very proud” of his daughter, who works between tutoring, teaching, her art and her studio.

He says she has always been a “very deep thinking kind of creative person” who always had a sketch book to hand growing up.

“I think I should say she’s been a great inspiration for me,” he adds.

“We go off in the camper van and she really encourages me to take a sketch book and be drawing everywhere and paint everywhere. She’s pretty confident just getting on with it.

“We’ve had some great trips in the camper van just doodling and drawing and painting each other and whatever. She’s definitely a great inspiration.”

Beyond the Glens, Harbour Café, Tayport, runs until April 27 with an open night on Saturday April 20 from 7pm – 8.30pm.