AN ambitious plan to create Scotland’s first open air railway art gallery is taking root at Kelvindale Station in Glasgow’s west end - with the help of an Evening Times Streets Ahead grant.

It’s the brainchild of lawyer and art lover Helen Ntabeni, who was fed up looking at the ‘drab, grey platform’ which sits beside the canal.

“It annoyed me – here we are, in what is actually a really lovely rural location, with the bridge above and the canal, visiting deer and herons and foxes, and beautiful woodlands with indigenous trees such as Scots pine and rowans – and yet the station was just all concrete and railings,” explains Helen.

“I had this idea of filling the place with art, both on the walls and fences, but coming up from the ground too…..”

Helen sourced funding from Go Wild and with the support of Keep Scotland Beautiful, who manage ScotRail’s biodiversity projects, started planting wildflowers.

“We concentrated on plants that attract bees and butterflies, and the eventual aim is to fill the whole space between the platform and the walkways with flowers with our very own Butterfly Garden,” she beams.

“But at the same time, I wanted to create some kind of art gallery that would get people talking, and @Kelvindale Art was born.”

Kelvindale Community Council vice chairperson Ken Windsor said: “Helen was like a breath a fresh of air when she arrived on our doorstep with her ideas. This exactly the kind of community project we want to support and encourage.

John Yellowlees, of ScotRail, said: “This is an unusual project which will bring colour and vitality to this interesting station, which has a fantastic setting beside the canal and towering bridge.

“We believe it’s the only project of its kind in Scotland – and links Van Gogh with Kelvindale in a way never been attempted before. It’s unlikely, however, we will be changing the name of the station to Kelvangoghdale at this stage…”

The first exhibition is Vincent – In Colour, all about famous Dutch post-impressionist Van Gogh and it will be properly curated with boards displaying information about the artist and his works.

“Van Gogh was unusual because although he was incredibly intelligent and talented and spoke so many different languages, he found it hard to speak to people directly, but he did it through his art,” says Helen.

“He also loved nature and when he was struggling to cope with bouts of depression and mental illness, he would go into the garden to paint and lift his spirits.

“I really loved the idea of lifting people’s spirits here with our garden and the artworks. Yes, it’s an unusual place, but why not here?”

She adds: “Our station has become a bit of a community hub thanks to the Community Council and people like Helen Welsh, who organised the Walk for Guy recently, in aid of a local seven-year-old with cerebral palsy.

“She decided to make the starting point here, and hundreds of people turned up to walk the 10k to Guy’s house – it was a brilliant event.”

As well as prints of Van Gogh’s most famous works, which will be displayed along the walkway and on the platform, each exhibition will include works by local artists, kicking off with Glaswegian Michael Kavanagh.

The plants and flowers will also be directly related to the artworks.

“Van Gogh did a painting called Flame Nettle, but I hate jaggy nettles so we have a non-spiky variety called red nettles being planted,” smiles Helen. “We will have poppies to go with his poppy paintings, roses and, of course, lots of sunflowers.”

And as Helen explains, she doesn’t want passers-by to do just that, as they step on and off their trains – she wants them to get involved. With the support of a Streets Ahead grant of £400, she is creating a 3D version of Van Gogh’s Chair so people can stop, sit and take selfies ‘inside’ the art.

“Stations are usually places you pass through on the way to more interesting destinations, but I really want to change that at Kelvindale,” she says.

“With the chair, people can actually climb into the painting and have a bit of fun.”

She adds: “I’m really grateful to the Evening Times Streets Ahead campaign for its support.”

@Kelvindale Art will also be providing local schools with presentations all about each exhibition.

Evening Times Editor Graham Shields said: “Our readers’ creativity and imagination when it comes to dreaming up Streets Ahead projects never fails to amaze us.

“@Kelvindale Art’s unique railway station project is a fantastic example of how community councils, local residents, businesses and environmental organisations can work together to achieve something really special for their area.

“We are delighted to provide £400 in funding to help Helen create an engaging, exciting open air gallery which will educate and inspire everyone from commuters to schoolchildren for many years to come.”

To find out more visit and if you wish to donate to future @Kelvindale Art projects, visit https://www.gofundme.com/KelvindaleArt