In 1939, five artists came together in Edinburgh to challenge the rather conventional world of Scottish painting. Rendell Wells, William Gear, Hugh Crawford, Joseph Forrester and Tom Pow formed the New Era Group, exhibiting at Gladstone's Land on the Royal Mile. They were looking towards European modernism, experimenting with abstraction and Surrealism, and doing things rather differently.

William Gear went on to international recognition, but the others have largely slipped from view. We've been fortunate enough to acquire a collection of original works by Rendell Wells, and researching his life has led me into this fascinating, largely forgotten corner of Scottish art history. It's exactly the sort of story I love uncovering, and I suspect there's still a great deal more to find.

Read the full story of the New Era Group on our blog.