Blustery Day

 
This year I have worked on a whole series of drawings and paintings based on a visit to Orkney.

The beach combing at Warebath Bay is fascinating. I just love the Orkney flagstones which form a pavement on parts of the beach.

This small oil painting, Blustery Day, is in the annual art fair at the Strathpeffer Pavilion. The preview is on Wednesday evening, 23rd November 2011, and the exhibition runs till Sunday, 27th.

Nodding off

This image of a sleeping woman is inspired by Picasso and features on advertising material for an event in Edinburgh at the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.

On Friday 21st October 2011, a conference, "Making a Difference" will explore memory, dreams and sleep through literature and film. If you are interested, check out the website, www.MHFESTIVAL.com

Out of the Fire

Last month I spent a couple of days with some fellow artists in the lovely coastal settlement of Cromarty. We were on a landscape course, looking for inspiration and recording information.

This place is historic and pretty so what to choose, the sandstone buildings? the boats in the harbour? the Soutars and the sea?

Well, I did draw at the harbour and found the wonderful, decrepit Peedie Lass (pictured) but what attracted me most was the remains of a beach fire. In effect a rubbish tip, this was full of wee gems of melted glass and plastic, rusty bits and bobs and some old bedsprings.

Crouching on the sunny beach with the wind blasting, rain spitting and a sound track of crashing waves, I scratched away in my sketchbook with a burnt stick.

Back in the studio, I worked on various pieces including the monoprints and oil painting shown above. Amazing what comes out of the fire!

On the Surface

In August I had lots of fun on Eleanor White's course, "On the Surface".

Eleanor runs art courses at Bridge House Art in Ullapool which is a lovely highland west coast village amidst stunning scenery.

The first couple of days were out of doors chasing the horizon. The coast in this area is littered with islands and the skies are big and constantly changing. We sketched from the high point at Rhue and were rewarded with a swim past of porpoises.

At Badentarbet near Achiltibuie, under a blazing sun (yes really) we painted images choosing from seascape, old decaying boats, rusty buoys or just simply the pebbles on the beach.

Eleanor encouraged us to clart on sand, ash from a fire pit, whatever to make an interesting textured surface. I picked some damaged bits of hardboard, stuck on some burnt plastic and bits of sea rope, added some sand and textured paste and painted the lot with acrylic. Amazing what one can do with rubbish!

Here is the result, yet to be titled.

I can thoroughly recommend Eleanor's courses, see attached link.

Surf's Up

 
This is one of those paintings which took a long time to reach it's final form. The surface is very textured which all adds to the general excitement of a stormy sea.
I am fascinated by gannets with their powerful high speed diving. Their presence adds a focus to the painting which is currently in Leakey's Bookshop in Inverness.

Squall Imminent

 
Typical Highland weather, sun one minute, showers the next and sometimes both and much more fun to paint than a clear blue sky.

"Squall Imminent" began with dribbly PVA and a scattering of good west coast sand followed by some finger painted gesso and topped off with acrylic.

The result will be in the Art Society exhibition which runs for 2 weeks from next Monday, 25th July in Eastgate Centre, Inverness.

New Work at Beauly Gallery

 

This blog has been dormant for quite some time, unlike myself. Life has been exceedingly hectic this year mostly in a good way with major family events. Now the dust is settling and I am getting back to my beloved studio.

Over the last few months I have been exploring different media and techniques to create images of the Orkney landscape and seascape.

Warebeth Bay, just west of Stromness, has wonderful warm, textured flagstones and the beachcombing is fascinating. There are rusty old bits of wrecks and the usual flotsam and jetsam to be found. Weather is constantly changing bringing varied light and colour to the sea and coast.

Working in acrylic or oil, I have tried to convey an atmospheric sense of place in a number of paintings. These are being exibited in Beauly Gallery in the Highlands for the next few weeks.

The title of this piece is "Stormy Skies".

In the Studio

 

Just had a fantastic if exhausting weekend at a workshop in Edinburgh College of Art. The theme was painting and colour.

Our excellent tutor, Robbie Bushe introduced a variety of methods of painting with acrylic and then we were let loose in the studio.

Colourful buckets and fabrics, the odd skeleton and some other bits and bobs formed a backdrop for our model. Here he is, just exiting my little painting. This was done on a black (payne's grey actually) background.

Other techniques included starting with a tonal monochrome underpainting, that I liked, and a Seurat style approach at which I failed miserably.

Watch this space for an example of my narrative work!

Curly Wurly and Seaside Rock

 

 

These little sweetie abstracts are on the wall in Leakey's Bookshop and Cafe in Inverness.

I love doing the whole texture thing and playing around with colour and pattern. One never knows quite what will appear. Such fun.

There are other Art Society of Inverness artists on the wall (not literally though that could make a fine surreal exhibition) and some interesting work from a group based outside Inverness.

Have a coffee and check it out!

Follow the Path

 

Where did the last six weeks go? Festivities, family and flu! Now the bulbs are pushing through and the days here in the far North are getting longer. Hurray!

Some of the local galleries close the early part of the year. Beauly Gallery opens again this week, (8th Feb.) spruced up and with lots of new work.

"Follow the Path" is one of my wintry paintings. The stark trees, an icy path but the warmth of spring promised in the sky. Can you find the wee bit of map?