Arty Applecross

One of my most favourite places is Applecross, a wee village in Wester Ross.

To get there the journey is epic, either over the highest pass in Britain, the Bealach na Ba, or by the long and winding coast road from the north. Both have the most stunning vistas on a clear day, and last weekend was perfect, give or take the odd moor fire.

Applecross is worth it for the sea views alone but there are other good reasons to go there.

The Applecross Inn is justly famed for its food, beer and welcome. Take your drink outside and take in the fabulous sight of the Cuillins.

However this is not a travel promo, I'm here to talk art. The artwork in the photo has been produced by pupils at the local primary school and decorates the Applecross community petrol pumps. Surely the most novel gallery in the Highlands.

Across the road is a The Coal Shed, a little art and craft shop. It's run by two local artists and stuffed full of lovely things.

There's loads here to inspire me. I've come home with sketches and photos and lots of ideas buzzing around my head.

Back in the Studio

Have been below the radar for a bit. So low that I've been upside down in Kiwi land where some of my family live. I had a fabulous couple of months there and despite being surrounded by incredible scenery did very little art work. It's all simmering away in the brain though.

So now I'm back in the studio and  searching for a new direction. 

Having gone through my "dark period", not universally loved, I'm now exploring colour. I continue to love texture and general messiness.

The painting above, entitled "Raindrops keep Falling", was mostly executed during a very wet day on the north-west coast , and through the mucky window of a garage. A few finishing touches and it's now on the wall in Leakey's Bookshop and Cafe. 

If you haven't been to Leakey's in Inverness yet, it's a great second hand bookshop that usually has a roaring fire in the woodburner. Perfect for this time of year, or indeed any other season in the Scottish Highlands.

High Seas

The first week in September brought wild and windy weather to the North West coast. I spent an exhilarating week at Reiff, near Achiltibuie, marvelling at the high seas crashing into the shores and cliffs.

Inspired by that photo of Joan Airdley painting in a howling gale, I took myself down to the water's edge, sketchbook in hand. Not easy. The wind made my eyes stream, the salt spray clarted my glasses, and my palette blew away.

Not a masterpiece then.

However, back in the garage, I painted "Storm Surge" shown above. The medium is acrylic on a ground of gesso and beach debris.

This is one of a set currently showing in the "Three" exhibition at Beauly Gallery.

Dusk

The first of the winter exhibitions has opened at Inchmore Gallery just outside Inverness.

 For several years the centrepiece has been the "CD collection" where local artists contribute small artworks which are displayed in CD cases. Hung together on a big wall, they make a single fabulous installation.

"Dusk", shown above started life as a painting of the distressed paintwork on a boat but grew into a west coast sunset. It's just 12 cm square.

Cloudburst

Cloudburst, how apt! September has been a month of wild weather.

I spent a couple of arty weeks up in the north west where the wind had whipped up some spectacular seas. If I used the word, I would say it was awesome, but I don't, so I won't.

Later, perhaps, I'll report back on what I did there, but for now I want to mention 2 ART EXHIBITIONS coming up.

First, 28 Highland artists will be exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair in Nairn Community Hall. The opening is on the Friday evening, 5th October, from 5 till 9pm. All welcome, refreshments, music, and lots of fun.

The Fair will continue on Saturday 6th October from 9 am till 6 pm.

A week later, on Saturday 13th October I am sharing an exhibition with Merrill MacWilliam and Diane Roberts in Crown Church Hall, Inverness. It runs from 10 am till 4pm. There will be a lovely variety of paintings from us 3 local artists, as well as cards and folio artwork.

Moonlit Loch Ness

What to do with an old frayed linen tea towel? Wash, stick on canvas and paint.

Lovely textures and patterns appear. This was painted in acrylic, mostly Prussian Blue which I hadn't used for a while.

The painting is to be exhibited in the Art Society of Inverness Annual Exhibition, held in the Eastgate Centre, Inverness, from Monday 15th July for 2 weeks.

Art around the Firth 2012

Where did the last five months go? Good things, holidays, sad things, family stuff, so not a lot of painting but just enough to keep me going, and almost sane.

The Water's Edge exhibition moved from Edinburgh to Beauly Gallery where it did very well but now that summer is here, in theory anyway, it's time for Art around the Firth. Various Highland artists exhibit annually in galleries around the Beauly Firth.

I have a number of paintings which continue to have a watery theme in Beauly Gallery throughout July and possibly into August. Above you can see an oil painting, "Remains of the Day" and a mixed media work, "Ridge Walking". The latter evokes a tremendous day on the Five Sisters ridge in Kintail.