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Latest Blogs | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings - Part 15

Ben Chonzie, Edinburgh and Newcastle ….not bad for one week

Posted by admin on August 17th, 2014

As the title of this blog implies, it’s been another busy week this week. As well as all the travelling, I’ve been doing quite a lot of painting too ….so all in all, a very good week.

Overlooking Loch Turret

Overlooking Loch Turret

When I visited Dan Thornton and David Feeney in Edinburgh back in May, they introduced me to Neil, a friend of theirs and over a pint or two in the pub that evening we got talking about hills and walking and by the end of the evening had agreed to meet up for a walk together sometime in the summer. Both being very busy, sometime turned out to be last Saturday and we decided that Loch Turret and Ben Chonzie would be a good spot being not too far for either of us to drive. As it turned out, we were very lucky with the choice of days as we picked the one fine day between several not so good ones.

On Ben Chonzie grass and more grass

On Ben Chonzie grass and more grass

We met at the Loch Turret dam and did a clockwise circuit of the loch taking in the Munro Ben Chonzie that rises beyond the far end. It makes a good walk and amazingly for an August Saturday we saw no one once we’d left the car park until we got close to the summit. There, Neil and Nita could see a big group of folk who we figured must have come up by the shorter more popular route. They however all started to make their way down as we arrived at the summit and we spent half an hour sat enjoying the big views and bright sunshine. The descent was pretty straight forward at first, down huge grass and moss covered slopes with views back across the more craggy face of the hill. But then came the steep section of heather, grass, moss, stones and broken crags ….much of it wet and slippery underfoot. I was OK for most of it ….using my tried and tested method of descending steep ground ….sitting down and lowering myself. One short section however required moving across the slope and I sure was glad of having two people to guide me. Nita went first; trying to point out where I should be placing my feet, while Neil followed behind keeping a firm grip on the back of my rucksack just in case I slipped! I have to say I was very glad once we’d got across this little section and were once again heading downhill towards easier ground. Anyway, it made for a bit of excitement before the lengthy walk back along the side of the loch. It was a very good day and I don’t think Neil was too put off by my snail’s pace and unorthodox methods of descent……he’s suggested we all meet up again in the autumn to visit his local Fife hills…..am looking forward to it.

....and a few rocks. Approaching the tricky section

….and a few rocks. Approaching the tricky section

Sunday was a day painting and Monday saw me catching the train over to Edinburgh to deliver a small painting for the Macmillan Art Exhibition at Bonhams on Queen Street. I was a little concerned whether I’d find it OK on my own but in the end it was simple and I even managed to avoid the new trams!

Back down to easier ground ....and the long hot walk back

Back down to easier ground ….and the long hot walk back

I was painting again on Tuesday and then I spent Wednesday packing the nine paintings and one big drawing for The Biscuit Factory autumn exhibition in Newcastle. We loaded the car with the work first thing Thursday and drove down to Newcastle, arriving at the gallery about half past one in the afternoon. It’s an amazing place and I’m really looking forward to having a proper look around when we return for the preview on September 12th. Yesterday however, it was just a case of deliver the work and then head straight back …….even so , it was seven o’clock before we final got home and put our feet up.

It’s been more painting today as well as sorting out the studio ready for a few visitors tomorrow. It’s the Irvine Harbourside Festival and so there should be a few extra visitors around. I think there will be a few other Courtyard artists open so hopefully it’ll be a successful day.

‘Below Suilven, a dreich afternoon’

Posted by admin on August 9th, 2014
320 'Below Suilvern, a dreich afternoon', Acrylic & Pastel,. 2014, 30 x 30 cm jpg

‘Below Suilvern, a dreich afternoon’

‘Below Suilven, a dreich afternoon’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2014, 30 x 30 cm

If you’ve been following my Face Book page, Keith Salmon – Scottish Landscape Artist, you have seen various versions of this painting.  This is it, finally completed.

The painting is based on a view we had back in May as we walked up to Suilven.   It’s quite a long walk and on the way there the weather had been quite bright but with a very squally wind blowing.  I’d stopped on several occasions to do some sketches of this fine Assynt peak and had planned to do some more work when we reached a spot below the eastern end of the hill.  By this time however, the brightness had gone and the skies were becoming very dark.  Within half an hour it was raining and very quickly the conditions were quite horrible.  We watched as Suilven slowly disappeared into the murk!  This little painting hopefully captures something of the mood of the place as the bad weather set in.

The painting will be one of ten pieces I’ll be exhibiting in the Autumn Exhibition at the Biscuit Factory in Tyne and Wear.  Full details of this exhibition will be posted shortly.  The exhibition opens in September.

Pucks Glen – a short walk…..or an adventure?!

Posted by admin on August 9th, 2014

We’ve had a good year of walking so far and have reached the top of a number of hills that, with my still deteriorating bit of sight, I’d started to think I may not get to.  Standing at the tops of Lochnagar, Stuc a’ Chroin and Ben Macdui, has given my confidence a bit of a boost this summer and I’ve been feeling positive despite struggling more with my mobility both around town and on the hill.

On Wednesday however, I was brought down to earth with a bit of a bump, although mental, not physical!  We’d been invited to join some friends who were staying in a lodge at the southern end of Loch Eck, not far from Dunoon.   We had no real plans ourselves as we’d never really explored the area before and so just turned up with fairly basic gear…. waterproofs and walking boots…..just in case.

When we’d left Irvine it had been pouring down with rain and although it had eased as we crossed the Firth of Clyde on the ferry, it was still pretty damp when we arrived and not looking particularly promising weather-wise.   It certainly wasn’t a day for a big or high level walk and our friends suggested a short wander over to Pucks Glen a few kilometres from the lodges.  Sounded perfect and with the cloud starting to break from around the steep sided hills above Loch Eck, the five of us set off.  After following a gradually rising track for forty minutes or so, we reached a sign pointing to a smaller path leading up through the trees ….Upper Pucks Glen ….and headed up that.  Despite it being a very good path this was immediately more difficult for me as the light under these fairly dense woods, was limited.  On this kind of path it wasn’t a problem especially as Nita was in front of me to point out any slippery tree roots etc.   As the path gained height the ground started to drop more steeply away on our right and before long we reach the stream that has formed Pucks Glen.   It wasn’t big and despite the morning rain, it wasn’t very full either, but it dropped away down the hillside steeply and the wee path that followed down beside it immediately screamed ‘problem’ to me.  I really struggle walking down narrow paths by streams especially so when the light is poor…..in these conditions it was really dark for me and so I said I’d have to return by our outward path …I wasn’t going to risk trying to get down that way.  Nita and Evelyn said they’d go back with me and we left Stewart and Holger to take the more direct route.  We kind of figured we’d meet them back on the main track.

Well ….even getting back down the good path was quite slow progress for me.  When we reached the top of the ‘Lower Puck’s Glen’ path however, (with the bit we could see, looking reasonably good) we decided we might as well go back that way.  After just five minutes I was starting to have my doubts though.  It was in general a very good path, but it was just so dark for me in the depths of this narrow tree filled little gorge.  Thankfully all the steep sections had steps and handrails but even so much of the path was right by the stream.  For a large part of this walk I couldn’t see much at all and relied on Nita’s great guiding skills, (honed over years on the hills) to get me down through this amazing little glen.  It was for me really difficult ….probably the most difficult and challenging thing I’ve done for a good few years!   I have to say, that I was very glad to hear Evelyn say we’d reached the main track at the bottom of the glen ….phew!  I was hot and more than a little stressed!!!

It was quite an adventure although it’s a shame Nita didn’t really get to see this amazing little glen either as she spent all her time keeping me on the path.  She did take some photos as we descended but it was so dark that my little camera couldn’t cope with the conditions either, (I have some sympathy for it)…..but here is one photo that came out reasonably well.   It’s spectacular and well worth a visit.  When we met up with Stewart and Holger, they said that the upper glen path was even steeper but without the helpful handrails in places…….definitely not for me!

Pucks Glen near Loch Eck

Pucks Glen near Loch Eck

Of course, after that we just had to go for a beer or two.  By this time the rain had all gone and the hills were clear and looking fabulous in the afternoon and early evening sunshine.  We had planned to catch the late ferry back but forgot to check the time of the last ferry.  We arrived at the slipway at about 22.20 to find it deserted and in darkness ….oooops!  The last ferry had been at 22.00.  Nothing for it but to have a good laugh, eat the emergency packs of crisps Nita  had packed for just such circumstances  ….and then start on the lengthy drive home back past Loch Eck, up and over the Rest and Be Thankful, down along the side of Loch Lomond and over the Erskine Bridge.  We arrived home in Irvine to find a very hungry cat at about 00.30!   It had been a great day ….an adventure out of no-where!

‘Coire an t’Sneachda, the Cairngorms’

Posted by admin on July 25th, 2014
107 'Coire an t'Sneachda, the Cairngorms', Oil, Acrylic & Pastel, 2009, 88 x 88 cm

‘Coire an t’Sneachda, the Cairngorms’

 ‘Coire an t’Sneachda, the Cairngorms’, Oil, Acrylic & Pastel, 2009, 88 x 88 cm

This painting was based on a photograph I took while we were doing our Winter Skills course at Glenmore Lodge.  We’d been taken into Coire an t’Sneachda to learn about survival skills, digging snow holes etc and it really was a spectacular location.  On Wednesday I was stood at the top of this amazing coire looking down to where we’d been in the snow a good few years ago.  It was still as spectacular but with much less snow.  Amazingly though, for mid July and very warm conditions, there was a surprisingly large amount of snow patches to be found still.    I may have to do another painting of Coire an t’Sneachda  ….this time from the top and in summer conditions.

Cairngorm wander

Posted by admin on July 25th, 2014
The cafe on the hill!

The cafe on the hill!

I had a very good few days at the studio at the end of last week and got back to working on the two large canvases again. The original one that I’d thought finished a few months ago, needs a few things doing to it and so I took the bold step! Still some work to do yet, but I’m feeling happier about it now. I’ve also done more on the second big piece and parts of this are starting to come together now. It’s going to be interesting getting back into the studio later this morning to see them, as I’ve been off for the past three days.

Our route ahead ...from the summit of Cairn Gorm

Our route ahead …from the summit of Cairn Gorm

The reason for this lazy absence? Well, of course, of course, we went walking again! Only for one day of actual walking, but we decided to make the most of this latest patch of fine weather and travel north to the Cairngorms ….taking our new little tent with us again. Prior to Wednesday I’d never done any proper walking in the cairngorms. It was just too far away and although we’d considered it for our two weeks holiday in May, we’ve never actually got there then……we both like having the sea near and so we always go to the North West instead! I’d been on three courses at Glenmore Lodge since 2001 and on these we’d been taken into the big Northern corries and at the end of our winter skills course we’d climbed briefly up onto the plateau …….but this trip was to be our first real outing in these hills.

Wow!

Wow!

We couldn’t really have asked for a finer day for this first little Cairngorm adventure…..there wasn’t a cloud in the sky when we left the campsite at Glenmore at 07.00 and it stayed that way for the rest of the day. We didn’t really have any proper plans as to what we were going to do or where we were going to go, except that we’d walk the main path up to the summit of Cairn Gorm and then take it from there. Not perhaps the best thing to do, but I really wasn’t sure quite how difficult the walking would be up there. The map showed lots of rock and boulders and I wasn’t sure whether the paths marked would be easy to follow or whether it would be very slow progress through acres of boulders. Best then to leave it fluid ……we kind of figured that the view from the top of Cairn Gorm should give us a fairly good idea. I’d thought that if things were very rough and slow we could perhaps make our way over to get a view over Loch Avon before making our way back to the car. If however, things looked reasonably good, we could have a go at getting over to Ben Macdui for a much longer day.

The more challenging route to the plateau ...not for me!

The more challenging route to the plateau …not for me!

The main start point for Cairn Gorm is so high that it doesn’t really take too long to get up to the summit. Not of course, if you don’t succumb to the call of tea and coffee at the cafe at the top of the Cairngorm railway as you pass! We of course just had to stop for refreshment, especially as we arrived there just five minutes before they were due to open. And very nice it was too ….and very civilized, sat there in the cool looking out over Scotland from this high perch on the mountain. Very quickly though, the coffee was finished and we were once again back out in the hot sun and heading up the final slopes on an almost cobbled path to the summit.

At the summit of Ben Macdui

At the summit of Ben Macdui

Wow …..what a view and what a great sculptural cairn! Art on a hill! These hills are high and on a day like this the sense of space all around is strong. More to the point, Ben Macdui looked a long way away but the paths in this popular region looked clear and big and with it still being mid morning, we decided to give it a go.

Well of course, I could ramble on for hours about, the fine views into the spectacular northern corries, of the wonderful little loch perched high on the plateau reflecting the deep blue of the sky and of the boulders and grey dusty approach to Ben Macdui ….but perhaps best just to add a couple of photos and to suggest, if you haven’t already visited this incredible place ….to do so. As we sat amidst the boulders on the flat summit of Ben Macdui at just over 1300m, the views were some of the biggest I’d seen ….so many hills and mountains, such a big area of wild spectacular country …and nearly all of it new to us…..we’ll be back …..despite the boulders!

On the descent

On the descent

It’s an interesting thought though that prior to my first visit to Glenmore Lodge back in 2001 to do the Summer mountain skills course for visually impaired, I’d been very nervous about walking in the hills with my limited sight. That week at Glenmore Lodge gave me so much confidence. I almost certainly wouldn’t be doing all that I do now if it wasn’t for that course and so it was very very good to be back and putting some of there teaching to good use in their local hills.

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

Posted by admin on July 19th, 2014
277 'The Saddle from Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran, March', Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 76 x 23 cm

‘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

This is one of the three paintings I have on display at Tour House in Kilmaurs as part of the group exhibition, “6 Artists”.

I created the painting last year after one of our winter walks in Glen Rosa on the Isle of Arran.  It was a  particularly cold day …..a far cry from my last visit a couple of months ago when we sat in warm sunshine at the same location for a couple of hours.  What a difference a few months make!

An interesting week

Posted by admin on July 19th, 2014
'Towards the Isle of Arran, winter'

Sold: ‘Towards the Isle of Arran, winter’

It can’t be a bad week when the first thing to report is that one of my paintings at the 2014 North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition, sold on the preview evening last Friday.  It’s always so encouraging when someone buys one of your paintings, so a very big thank you to the lady and gentleman and I do hope that you enjoy having the piece.   The exhibition looks very good and if you haven’t already done so, I’d recommend a visit to the Racquet Hall in Eglinton Country Park, Kilwinning to see it.  It’s open daily from 10 am – 4 pm until Saturday 26th July 2014.

On Wednesday we held our first studio meeting to discuss the forthcoming Open Studios Weekend.  The event will take place on the first weekend in October and as usual there should be a very good selection of work to see.  We’re waiting to hear about WASPS plans for the event this year before I can confirm all the details and we have another meeting on 31st July when Michelle from WASPS head office in Glasgow is visiting the Courtyard to tell us all about their plans.  Watch this space!

'Below Clach Lethaidh, winter'

‘Below Clach Lethaidh, winter’

Work wise, I’ve had a good week this week, getting quite a lot done.  It’s quite important as I have to make the final selection of work for the autumn exhibition at the Biscuit Factory in Tyne and Wear.  I’ve been asked to provide 10 pieces of work of differing sizes and prices.  I always find this part very difficult and seem to change my mind about which pieces to include on a regular basis!  I am getting there though and three paintings have already been put aside for the show.  As well as the paintings I would like to include one of my new large graphite drawings.  This should work well with the other pieces and make quite a focal point for the work.  Oh well, I have a couple more weeks yet before having to make the final decision ….plenty of time to change my mind again! The exhibition opens in September so full details a little nearer the time.

Talking of a little nearer the time, I have three paintings going into a local exhibition at Tour House, Kilmaurs, near Kilmarnock.  The group exhibition will include work by 6 artists and the preview is on Sunday evening.  I’m really looking forward to the event especially so as Kilmaurs was the place we lived when we first moved to Ayrshire back in October 1998.

From the summit of Stuc a' Chroin

From the summit of Stuc a’ Chroin

Of course, of course, we couldn’t go a whole week without heading out for the hills again, especially so as Nita has been on annual leave for the last two weeks.  After our over heated walk up Beinn Each last week and our failure to get across from it to the Munro, Stuc a’ Chroin, we had another go at reaching its summit on Tuesday.  The weather was once again fine but less hot thankfully and we approached the hill from a different direction this time.  We started from Glen Artney at 08.20 and after a very long walk, reached the top at 13.35.  It was a magnificent walk and gave us great views back over to Beinn Each ….although I couldn’t thankfully see or hear the bug that took a dislike to us last week!   Stuc a’ Chroin really is a magnificent hill and we were lucky to have clear conditions and patchy bright sun as we sat at the top.  This was our 3rd attempt to climb it, so I have to admit I felt quite a sense of achievement.  We saw some magnificent colours during the walk and so I think I may well try and get something in the way of a painting out of this trip.

Well then, that’s about that for this week.  I’ll be down my studio tomorrow and Sunday as Nita has pulled the short straw and is working night shifts.  She’ll be exhausted for a couple of days so no thoughts of more walking until she’s recovered.

Oh yes, one final thing.  We have a new branch of Wetherspoon’s in Irvine.  It opened a couple of days ago and I’m really pleased to say that they have two of my pictures on the wall…… I haven’t had a chance to go in and see them yet, but once Nita has finished her night shifts I think we may well call in ……just to see the paintings I hasten to add …..nothing to do with the beer ……honest!

‘Towards the Isle of Arran, winter’

Posted by admin on July 10th, 2014
316 'Towards the Isle of Arran, winter', Acrylic & Pastel, 2014, 76 x 23 cm

‘Towards the Isle of Arran, winter’

‘Towards the Isle of Arran, winter’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2014, 76 x 23 cm

You’ve seen this painting before but I thought I’d use it again this week as it is one of the two pieces I have showing  in the  2014 North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition.  This annual exhibition opens on Saturday with the preview tomorrow evening and it runs for two weeks.   The exhibition always contains a large selection of work and there is usually something for everyone…..so it is well worth a visit.   Full details coming soon on my Face Book page, Keith Salmon – Scottish Landscape Artist.

Hot, hot, hot…..too hot

Posted by admin on July 10th, 2014
On Beinn Each

On Beinn Each

After what had been quite a busy week already, Nita and I decided to make the best of the fine weather and go for another walk.   For quite a few years now I’ve wanted to climb Stuc a’Chroin, the neighbour of Ben Vorlich in the Southern Highlands.  I decided that I would like to climb it via the smaller top of Beinn Each to the south and then along the broad, knobbly connecting ridge.  It would make quite a long day as the only way back would be to retrace your steps back over Beinn Each.

At the summit of Beinn Each

At the summit of Beinn Each

Well then, yesterday was going to be the day.  We started quite early and drove up to the hill under almost cloudless skies ….it looked perfect.  Perhaps though, in retrospect, it was a little too perfect for a long day!  I’d forgotten just how steep a pull up it was to reach the summit of Beinn Each.  Hardly surprising really seeing as we’d last walked this hill perhaps eight or nine years ago and if I remember rightly, it was a grey and misty damp day with little or no views higher up.

Stuc a' Chroin from Beinn Each

Stuc a’ Chroin from Beinn Each

The path itself isn’t a bad one when you can see, but for me it was quite difficult and about half way up where it scouted around the edge, above some good size crags; we went off paste and made our way straight up.  The going was much easier underfoot as we were on a mix of grass and heather but it was very steep in places.  The views were spectacular though in the bright hot sunshine it really was quite sapping on the energy.  As we approached the top and saw the view towards our main hill, Stuc a’ Chroin, our spirits flagged…..it looked a long two and a half kilometres in this heat.

Towards Ben Ledi

Towards Ben Ledi

Having spent the last 20 years learning how to adapt how I do things, I decided that it was perhaps time to adapt our route…..we’d call it a halt here at the top of Beinn Each and instead of having a tiring, hot and sweaty haul to Stuc a’ Chroin and back, we’d make camp here and sit and enjoy the views of it for an hour or so!   I have to say, that Nita was in full agreement and would possibly have mutinied if I’d even suggested trying to carry on!    We sat down, dug out the lunch packs and simply enjoyed the views ….although Nita later suggested I had done so for a short while ……while snoring!

And that is really about that, except for a rather disturbing incident on the way down.  We’d stopped to take some photos of Stuc a’ Chroin when we suddenly had a large insect buzzing around us.  It definitely wasn’t just a large bumble bee as it had a much deeper louder bussing sound.  And it was very persistent.  Nita said that it was large and torpedo shaped…..and it seemed pretty aggressive.  We tried to move away as quickly as possible but this wasn’t too easy for me on what was quite steep ground, especially as I was also flailing my walking poles around trying to fend the bug off!!!   For anyone who was watching it must have looked like that scene out of Mr Bean when he was bothered by a wasp!   The thing came back repeatedly for about five or six minutes I guess before finally losing interest.  Phew!

‘Below Suilvern, a wet afternoon’

Posted by admin on July 5th, 2014
1 'Below Suilvern, a wet afternoon', Work in progress

‘Below Suilvern, a wet afternoon’

‘Below Suilvern, a wet afternoon’, Acrylic & Pastel, 30 x 30 cm, (Work in progress)

This is the latest stage of the new small painting I’m doing based on a sketch I made back in May. We walked from Lochinver to the north side of the prominent peak of Suilvern and I stopped to make several small drawings of this fine hill. For the first few hours the weather had been dry but with an increasingly strong wind blowing. We walked to a point below the eastern end of the hill but as we made our way back west the weather deteriorated rapidly with driving rain and mist increasingly shrouding the hill. I worked into one of the sketches when I got back into the dry and tried to capture something of this damp and wild scene.

The painting is probably not quite finished yet but I’ll wait and see for a short while before doing any more to it. Visitors are always welcome to my studio so do call in if you’re in the area.

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    E-mail: keith@keithsalmon.org