The exhibition is a celebration of their common passion for drawing and painting. They have shared this passion for 35 years, and this is their first exhibition together.

Jan Hannah

Scottish-born Jan studied illustration in Aberdeen before going on to teach art in a variety of settings, from colleges to prisons. Her extensive travels have taken her around the world, where she has worked on projects with underprivileged children in India and in orphanages in Bulgaria. Now based in central Portugal, Jan continues to explore the vibrant and emotional world of nature through her work. More recently, her focus has expanded to include still life studies that celebrate the beauty of traditional Portuguese instruments. janhannah.com

Fiona Blakey

Fiona studied art and design in Glasgow and ran her own design business in Scotland. She then moved into teaching art and coordinating cultural events for schools. Fiona now spends her time between Trás-os-Montes and Scotland. Her work is a lifelong investigation of materials and subject matter with drawing as the main principle. She is currently working in pen and watercolour and her themes are based on whatever resonates with her at the time, for instance people, buildings, donkeys, still life and landscape. feeslie.com

The exhibition venue is the Casa Da Cultura Mirandesa in Miranda Do Douro. The venue is run by the local council and actively promotes and celebrates Mirandese culture through exhibitions featuring, for example, the famous Tras-os-Montes masks and handmade local instruments as well as showcasing local artists.

By embracing the opportunity to exhibit there, the artists are forging contemporary links between Trás-os-Montes and Scotland, lands which are both rich in cultural heritage. The exhibition runs from 12th May until 7th July.