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Archive for the ‘Artwork of the Week’ Category

‘Approaching Harris, a damp May evening’

Posted by admin on May 24th, 2013

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‘Approaching Harris, a damp May evening’, Graphite on paper, 2013, 125 x 75 cm

Here is the latest of my new graphite drawings.  I started this while we were away on Harris but I was working on a large table in the cottage, (rather than in an upright position on the wall or an easel) and I soon got back ache and gave up!  I completed it on my return to Irvine and I must admit I’m quite pleased with it.

It’s based on the grey wet view we had from the ferry as it approached Harris.  We’d caught the 18.00 ferry from Uig and the weather had turned gloomy, damp and dark by the time we neared Tarbert.  The sea was a little choppy too and as I sat watching the slowly changing scene with the island slowly getting closer and the rain and spray marking the salt covered windows ….I realised it would make an interesting drawing or two.

This is the first one and I’ve already started work on a second …I may even do a third.  Anyway, I hope you like it …this is the first time I’ve tried to do a piece based on the sea, (with a bit of land) …rather than just the mountains and glens.

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‘From Stob Ghabhar, early July’

Posted by admin on May 18th, 2013
'From Stob Ghabhar, early July'

‘From Stob Ghabhar, early July’

‘From Stob Ghabhar, early July’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

This is one of four of my paintings to be included in the latest group exhibition at The Strathearn Gallery in Crieff.  The gallery is changing hands at the start of June and this is the change over exhibition.  There should as usual, be a great selection of work on display, so if you have a chance, do take a trip over to Crieff and go have a look.  The exhibition is:

‘New Beginnings’
The Strathearn Gallery
Saturday 1st June 2013 – Saturday 3rd August 2013
For more details you can check out the gallery website by following the link at the side of this page.

Best of luck to Fiona, Edith and Owen, who are now retiring.  Best of luck also, to Susan and Scott, who will be the new owners of The Strathearn Gallery from 1st June.

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‘A winter scene, Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran’

Posted by admin on April 24th, 2013
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‘Winter scene, Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran’

‘A winter scene, Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

This is another small painting based on elements of the larger Glen Rosa drawings.  In order to see any detail around me when I’m actually out in the hills and glens, I have to use a monocular.  This gives a very narrow and flattened view of my surroundings and I like to use these rather clipped angles and compositions in some of my paintings.  Six or seven years ago when I was out walking Ben Wyvis with my old mate and colleague, the sculptor Keith Barrett, I lent him my monocular and at that point he turned  to me and said , ‘Now I see where your paintings are coming from….’.  When you’re visually impaired you don’t just get the fuzzy view through your eyes ….you also get what ever view or angle is created through whatever equipment or technology you use as a visual aid ….over time this tends to distort how you see things ….or think you see things.  It’s a different world as my partner says!

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‘The Saddle from Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran, March’

Posted by admin on April 20th, 2013
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‘The Saddle from Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran, March’

‘The Saddle from Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran, March’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 76 x 23 cm

As you’ll probably have seen, I’ve been working on several large graphite drawings based on our visits to Glen Rosa on the Isle of Arran recently.  This is a new painting I’ve just completed based on the same subject matter.  We had walked up to the head of the glen below Cir Mhor and The Saddle.  It was cold and grey with snow on the tops and cloud hiding the summits too.  Then, just as we were about to return, it filled in further and started to snow.  This continued all the way back down the glen.  It was certainly a taste of things to come …this was the Wednesday before the heavy snow arrived that caused so many problems on the island a short while ago.  The painting is away to the framer soon and it will then be at the studio should anyone want to come and see it for real.  I’ll let you know when I have it back and on the wall.

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‘A hazy spring day, Culter Fell’

Posted by admin on April 12th, 2013
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‘A hazy spring day Culter Fell’

‘A hazy spring day, Culter Fell’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 76 x 23 cm

You may remember that just a few weeks ago, (before the bad spell of cold and snowy weather) Nita and I visited Culter Fell and had a wonderful walk. It really was a perfect spring day, warm, bright and hazy. What I thought was the last snow of the winter lay on the steep north facing slopes of the fell and the Skylarks were up and singing.

Anyway, I’ve now just finished this little painting based on our day and it tries to capture something of that early spring afternoon.

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‘Mists, Am Bodach’

Posted by admin on April 5th, 2013
'Mists, Am Bodach', Acrylic & Pastel, 2008, 30 x 30 cm

‘Mists, Am Bodach’

 

‘Mists, Am Bodach’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2008, 30 x 30 cm

I did this small painting five years ago but it is always one that I’ve really liked.  It is now available as a mounted digital print (image size approximately 27 cm x 27 cm), price £50 plus P&P in UK.  An image of this painting is also available as a small gift card, (blank inside), price £2.50 each or available by post in packs of 4 cards for £10 plus P&P.  . This is one of four different cards I’ve recently had printed.

Both the prints and the cards are available at ‘the gallery on the corner’ in Edinburgh and also ‘Blairmore Gallery’, near Dunoon.  They are also available at my studio or by post…..contact me for details: keith@keithsalmon.org  or Tel: 07742 437425.

This is a very tentative start to trying to develop this side of my practice.  I hope to get more types of cards printed and then get them into a range of shops and galleries throughout Scotland.  As and when this happens I’ll of course let you know.  The other 3 cards will be shown as ‘Artwork of the week’ over the next 3 weeks.

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‘The Cobbler from Ben Donich – a damp summer day’

Posted by admin on March 29th, 2013
194 'The Cobbler from Ben Donich - a damp summer day', Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 76 x 23 cm

‘The Cobbler from Ben Donich – a damp summer day’

‘The Cobbler from Ben Donich – a damp summer day’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 76 x 23 cm

I thought I’d use this painting for my work of the week as it has just become my first US sale.  The couple who bought the painting saw it on the ‘Paintings for sale’ section on my website and contacted me a couple of weeks ago.  It is an important little break through for me and it’s great to think that the website is allowing people from around the globe, not just to see and read about the work but to buy it also.

The painting was based on a rather damp summer day a few years ago when Nita and I walked Ben Donich in the Arrochar Alps.  As can be seen from the painting, the mist was coming and going much of the time but it was wonderfully atmospheric when it broke and we could see across to the Cobbler on the other side of the glen.  Ben Donich is a very good hill with extensive views all around on a clear day.  Seemingly very grassy and straight forward, it does, however, have a wonderful little rocky nook not too far from the top …which adds to the interest.

Anyway, a big thanks you to the folk who bought this painting.  I hope it reminds you of the time you lived in Scotland and of the misty days you spent wandering the Scottish hills.

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‘Sun-lit slopes, Sgiath Chuil’

Posted by admin on March 22nd, 2013
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‘Sun-lit slopes, Sgiath Chuil’

‘Sun-lit slopes, Sgiath Chuil’, Acrylic and pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

Last year I did a number of larger more abstract paintings.  This is one that I’ve recently completed at the small 30 x 30 cm size.  The idea for this piece originated after seeing a painting I did several years ago …..but trying in this piece to make a much simpler version of it.  I’ve actually used quite a lot of gold paint in this piece along with a kind of ‘tarnished copper’ colour paint too……it’s good to try things out and experiment.

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‘Winter afternoon, above Loch Ericht’

Posted by admin on March 8th, 2013
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‘Winter afternoon above Loch Ericht’

‘Winter afternoon, above Loch Ericht’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 76 x 23 cm

With the day light hours rapidly increasing now, I’ve been starting to think about longer walks again.  At about this time of year in 2007 I think it was, we drove up to the Drumochter Pass and walked a couple of hills to the west of the pass.  It proved a perfect day as it was a mix of winter and spring.  Low down in the glen, spring had definitely arrived but on the high tops there was still much snow and ice.  This painting is one of several I’ve done based on that wonderful day.  This painting is currently available direct from my studio.  For further details or to arrange a visit to my studio to see the painting, contact me: keith@keithsalmon.org  or Tel: 07742 437425.

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‘Snow covered hills, above Largs’

Posted by admin on February 28th, 2013
'Snow covered hills, above Largs'

‘Snow covered hills, above Largs’

‘Snow covered hills, above Largs’, Oil, 2012, 80 x 80 cm

I was working on this painting for many months and only finally finished it a short while ago.  It is based on a day several winters ago when I went walking with my friend Guy, on the hills above Largs.  It was a bitterly cold January day and I seem to remember the car thermometer read minus ten C when I left the house early that morning.  We’d caught the train to Largs and it was still dark as we walked up through the town to the start of the path.  It was a great day although the snow conditions were very difficult to walk in and we didn’t manage to walk anywhere near as far as we’d originally planned.  But it was incredibly beautiful that day with big views out west over the Firth of Clyde to Bute and beyond.  The most memorable part of the day for me though was a short period as we were descending the hill in the late afternoon.  As the sun took its final dip towards the western horizon, it turned the snow covered hillside a strange and beautiful kind of pale copper / pink colour. As I say, it didn’t last long, but it made a great impression.  This painting tries to capture a little of that amazing colour.

This oil painting can be seen as part of my forthcoming exhibition, ‘In sun, rain, mist and snow’, at ‘the gallery on the corner’, 34 Northumberland St, Edinburgh, EH3 6LS.  The exhibition preview is tomorrow, Friday 1st March, 2013, 6pm – 8pm….all welcome.  The exhibition runs until 30th March.  The gallery is open, Tuesday – Saturday, 11.00 – 17.00.  I hope you can get along to see it.

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    Contact Details

  • Tel: 07568 380552 or 01294 216427
    E-mail: keith@keithsalmon.org