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Latest Blogs | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings - Part 32

Launch of The Jolomo Award 2013, all part of a very busy week.

Posted by admin on September 22nd, 2012
One of the paintings I used for my Jolomo Award 2009 application

One of the paintings I used for my Jolomo Award 2009 application

I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but doesn’t time fly? It seems no time at all that I was planning my application for the Jolomo Award 2009 and on Thursday I was in Edinburgh for the official launch of the 2013 award. The award, established by Scotland’s well known painter Dr John Lowrie Morrison OBE is held every two years and the 2013 award will be the fourth one.

The main aim of the award is to promote painting ….and in particular paintings of the Scottish landscape …for which there is an admirable tradition dating back to the 1600’s. In particular, the award is aimed at emerging artists, regardless of age, who often struggle through lack of financial resources. As such, the main prize for the Jolomo Award is now £25,000. As I have found out since winning in 2009, a sum like this, coupled with a lot of publicity, can really help in establishing your career as an artist……three years on I am still using the award money to help develop and promote my work and this will continue for a long time yet. This really is a life changing award and I would urge anyone who is passionate about painting the Scottish landscape to seriously consider applying for the 2013 award. Full details and application forms can be obtained from: The Jolomo Foundation Millburn Old Philpstoun Linlithgow West Lothian EH49 7PY OR downloaded from: www.jolomofoundation.org Closing date for applications is 14th January 2013 Entry fee: £25 Best of luck!

This was part of my Jolomo Award 2009 application

This was part of my Jolomo Award 2009 application

Apart from our trip to Edinburgh last Thursday, it’s been a busy week at the studio working on two new paintings. It’s also been another hectic few days of helping to organise the Courtyard Studios Open Studio Weekend ….now only two weeks away. I’ve been contacting local press and radio stations and distributing fliers to all the artists at the Courtyard. We’ve also had 30 posters printed and several of the artists have been placing them in prominent locations around Ayrshire. After finishing writing this blog I’ll be spending several hours on the computer sending emails out to past customers and visitors to my studio, telling them about the event and inviting them along to it. So then, things are progressing well so it’s just a case of telling as many people about it as possible ….in fact …if you know anyone living in this part of Scotland who would enjoy seeing a wide range of artwork by some of Ayrshire’s leading artists ….please tell them about it.

Open Studios Weekend – October 6th / 7th, 2012

The Courtyard Studios 128 Harbour St, (next door to the popular Ship Inn)

Irvine Ayrshire KA12 8PZ

Entry: free

Open: Saturday 11 am – 5pm Sunday 12 noon – 5pm All welcome.

I hope you can make it along.

‘Sunlight and Stones, Beinn a’ Ghlo’

Posted by admin on September 14th, 2012
65-sunlight-stones-beinn-a-ghlo-acrylic-pastel-2007-58-x-34cm

‘Sunlight & Stones, Beinn a’ Ghlo’

‘Sunlight and Stones, Beinn a’ Ghlo’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2007, 58 x 34 cm

The paintings I’m currently doing in oil, originate from this small acrylic and pastel piece I did back in 2007.  At the time I felt that this was a move forward, away from the very heavy use of pastel and towards a bolder composition.  I particularly liked the simple broad bands of colour and mark and now, 5 years on, I’m exploring the possibilities that this painting first suggested.

I always liked this piece; indeed, it was one of the 10 pieces I included in my application for the Jolomo Award 2009.  I spent much time trying to work out the best 10 pieces to use for my application but this piece was never in doubt.  The painting was bought a couple of years ago ….so if you’re reading this; I hope you’re still enjoying it.

Why not come along to the Courtyard Studios Open Weekend on Saturday 6th / Sunday 7th October where you’ll be able to see my latest paintings.  Open Saturday11 am – 5pm, Sunday 12 noon – 5pm.

To see some of my new paintings right now …check out this weeks blog and last weeks too.

A bit of an artistic wander!

Posted by admin on September 14th, 2012
'December afternoon, above Glen Shee'

‘December afternoon, above Glen Shee’

Last week I talked about my using this year to try and develop my work.  This short blog is about the painting I’ve been working on for many weeks and finally finished yesterday.  The painting has gone through many stages and has changed dramatically since I first started working on it.  The only thing that stayed the same throughout its making was the fact that I wanted to do a painting that was about an afternoon a few years ago when Nita and I got a little lost in the hills above Glen Shee.  We’d started walking in reasonable weather, blue skies and broken cloud and a forecast of a reasonable day before a weather front would move in from the west in the evening.  As this was early December, we were confident that we’d be long off the hill before the bad weather arrived.  Instead, low cloud enveloped us quite early on but we continued our walk.  With the ground covered in snow and the cloud getting thicker, it made for careful navigation.  We found our summit but then on our return we got careless and a little lost in the deteriorating visibility.    With my sight as it is, I become almost totally blind once the light fades and with the prospect of rain or snow arriving soon this was not a good position to be in.  Of course, we dug out the GPS, found out where we’d wandered and plotted a course back ….but for a short while it was a little scary.

I took no photos that afternoon as we headed back but have very strong impressions of the gloomy conditions as the light faded.  Almost ever since that day, I’ve wanted to do a painting that had a little bit of that in it.  This painting has I think finally made it after many detours and (a bit like the walk itself) after getting a little lost for a while.  As I said last week, I wanted the painting to be as much abstract as landscape and I wanted it to be done in thick paint.  What happened was that I kept letting it drift too much into the landscape …and kept having to rework it.  I also found that using the paint thickly had its own problems too….it kept looking too contrived.

Anyway, here is the final painting after much hard work and head scratching and feeling many times that I was close to chucking it in the bin!  I think that this works now and I’m pleased with it finally.  I’ve learnt a lot from doing it and certainly wouldn’t have been able to spare the time last year.  A big thanks to the Jolomo Award once again, for allowing me the financial and artistic freedom to do this kind of thing.

'December afternoon, above Glen Shee'

‘December afternoon, above Glen Shee’ (Bigger Photo)

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New drawing, Pen, 2012

Posted by admin on September 8th, 2012
new-drawing-pen-2012-148-x-210-mm

New drawing, pen, 2012

New drawing, Pen, 2012, 148 mm x 210 mm

While doing battle with the larger oil paintings I’ve had plenty of time to play around with some new little line drawings.  This is one of them that I quite liked and may take further …possibly on a bigger scale and using a soft graphite pencil instead.

A year to myself

Posted by admin on September 8th, 2012
In the studio

In the studio

Around this time last year I took the decision not to go looking for exhibitions in 2012 but instead use my time trying to move my work on.  It was a great couple of years after winning the Jolomo Award back in 2009 and as a result I had a good number of solo exhibitions, but this did mean that I had very little time to develop my work.  I paint very slowly, especially so when I’m trying to tackle something very new and between 2009 and the end of 2011 I just didn’t have time to risk work going seriously wrong.

For me, developing work means taking a few risks…..risks that what I’m doing might not work and might after a month of hard graft simply end up stacked behind the bench.  This year, as I don’t have any shows to work towards, the pressure is off and I’ve been able to try out some new things.  As you’ve seen, I’ve gone back to working with oil paint for the first time in a little over eight years.  It’s amazing just how different it is from using acrylic and I’ve been battling hard to get it to do what I want!  I have then spent much time over these new paintings, cursing many times and no doubt rubbing some of what is left of my hair away!  That said and despite many false starts and many pieces ending up behind the bench, I am starting I think to get somewhere with these pieces.  I’ve been trying to create paintings that are both Scottish landscape and almost abstract at the same time.  It is a very difficult balance to achieve without the paintings looking contrived.  Anyway, this is a brief look back at the oil paintings I’ve been working on this year.

'In the Flow Country, Sutherland'

‘In the Flow Country, Sutherland’

'Evening, from Beinn a' Chrulaiste, late March'

‘Evening, from Beinn a’ Chrulaiste, late March’

'West from Beinn Griam Mor, Sutherland'

‘West from Beinn Griam Mor, Sutherland’

'A walk in the wild. above Drumochter, winter'

‘A walk in the wild. above Drumochter, winter’

'Rannoch Moor - variations'

‘Rannoch Moor – variations’

'Memories of rain, mist and melting snow, Beinn Chonzie, January 2007'

‘Memories of rain, mist and melting snow, Beinn Chonzie, January 2007’

 

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‘Early spring, above Drumochter’

Posted by admin on September 1st, 2012
'Early spring, above Drumochter'

‘Early spring, above Drumochter’,

‘Early spring, above Drumochter’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 80 x 80 cm

Thought I’d use this painting as the work of the week seeing that it is currently hanging in ‘The gallery on the corner’ in Edinburgh.  If you go to this week’s blog you’ll see that the gallery has been celebrating ….the first five apprentices at the gallery have successfully completed their two year training.  These young people, along with the staff have helped make sure that this very special gallery is a success.  If you haven’t visited yet and live in Edinburgh then why not get down and take a look.  More info at: http://www.thegalleryonthecorner.org.uk/

All smiles at ‘the gallery on the corner’

Posted by admin on September 1st, 2012
'the gallery on the corner'

‘The Gallery on the Corner’

If you’ve read these blogs over the last couple of years you’ll know that I’ve been involved, albeit to a very small degree, in ‘the gallery on the corner’ in Edinburgh. The gallery, which was set up by Autism Initiative, Scotland, has a dual purpose….. to operate as a professional but ‘inclusive’ gallery exhibiting and promoting the work of artists affected by autism or other health issues, whilst at the same time providing a real working environment in which young people affected by autism can train and learn genuine work based skills and gain a recognised qualification.

‘The Gallery on the Corner’ opened in April 2010 and a few months prior to this I had been invited to act as patron. I first visited the gallery while the builders were still busy but was instantly impressed by the professionalism and real enthusiasm of the team who had been tasked with the rather daunting job of establishing this new and rather special art gallery in Edinburgh’s main gallery district. When I arrived on the day of its launch, I knew that the right people were at the helm, the gallery looked fantastic, bright and modern and with a fantastic selection of work, all exhibited to a very professional and high standard. The gallery employed five apprentices working on either the retail side, (upstairs with the public) or on the artistic side, honing their skills as artists in the studio / work areas downstairs below the gallery.

It is now just a little over two years since the gallery opened and on Wednesday last week there was cause for celebration ….the first five apprentices had all very successfully completed their training, (both in the work place and at college) and it was time to present them with their certificates. It was an emotional time for all at Autism Initiative Scotland and especially those working at the gallery and it was fantastic to see how well the trainees had done …indeed, one of the trainees has already had a number of important commissions and his work has received much interest and media coverage.

For me, it has been a real pleasure to be involved with the gallery on the corner, to watch the progress and to see the very successful completion of the first cycle of apprenticeships. I try and visit the gallery several times a year, to attend exhibition previews, to deliver or collect work, or simply to call in for a chat. The very high standards set at the start have been maintained and I think this gallery offers something special for the gallery goer. …the work is of a high standard but it often has something you don’t always see …a bit of an ‘edge’. It obviously takes a bit of time for folk to ‘find’ a new business, especially in the gallery rich area in which it’s located, but from what I hear, I think people are starting to realise that the gallery on the corner offers something a little bit different. If you live in Edinburgh and haven’t visited the gallery yet, then I would strongly recommend that you do so.

Finally I have to add my congratulations to the five trainees, whose hard work has made this very special gallery a success. My congratulations too, to all the people involved in establishing and running the gallery, especially the gallery manager Susie and her two assistants Paul and Rob ….they’re all seriously good at their jobs.

For further information about ‘the gallery on the corner’, visit: http://www.thegalleryonthecorner.org.uk/

‘Break in the cloud, Beinn Griam Beg, Sutherland’

Posted by admin on August 24th, 2012
245-break-in-the-cloud-beinn-griam-beg-sutherland-acrylic-pastel-2012-76-x-23-cm

‘Break in the cloud, Beinn Griam Beg, Sutherland’

‘Break in the cloud, Beinn Griam Beg, Sutherland’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2012, 76 x 23 cm

This is the latest of the new ‘Sutherland’ paintings.  It is another view of the breaking cloud as we descended Beinn Griam Beg after a heavy snow shower.  There is something very special about being on a hillside when the cloud starts to break and clear around you.  Holes appear in the greyness and you can peer through to the world beyond.  Sometimes the cloud can fill in again as quickly as it broke and that will have been your one and only view for the day.  On this occasion though, the heavy snow clouds swept by and within about half an hour we were walking down the hill in bright warm sunshine..the snow that had collected in the grass, melting fast.

A day above Glen Shee

Posted by admin on August 24th, 2012
The Cairnwell from Carn Aosda

The Cairnwell from Carn Aosda

For the most part this week has been another one of painting and very little else.  We’ve been trying to fit in another walk but on the days available …when Nita’s not working and I haven’t been busy, well, the weather has been a bit rough.  From the mountain forecasts though, it did seem like there would be a brief lull in the inclement weather, either Thursday or Friday this week and so if we were to get out it would be on one of these two days.  As it turned out Thursday gave us the best chance of avoiding the rain and low cloud …especially if we went east and a little north …a big-ish day in other words!

Our original idea was to travel all the way up to Lochnagar on the Queens Balmoral Estate and after checking that there would be no stalking taking place, we got out the maps and a guide books for the area.  It looks a wonderful hill …one that I’ve always wanted to visit,  but when we got the road map out to find out how to get there, we realised that it would mean a drive of probably three and three quarter hours each way.  This is probably just a bit too far for a day trip, especially with only one driver and the prospect of a big and quite tiring walk once we got there.  If we’re going to walk Lochnagar, then we’ll need to stay over night somewhere near the hill I think.

Towards Carn Aosda

Towards Carn Aosda

That (at 22.00 on Wednesday evening) left us still not knowing where we were going the next day.  After a little more pondering I suggested we go back to Glen Shee and walk the three hills to the immediate west of the Glen Shee Ski Centre…. Carn Aosda 917m, Carn a’ Gheoidh 975m and The Cairnwell 933 m.   The first and last of these three hills lie close to the ski centre, (which itself sits at just over 600m) and so they are no more than a short if steep walk from the start point.  Both are littered with the paraphernalia connected to the ski centre ….ski tows, fences, and large bulldozed tracks … not to mention the big communications masts sitting atop The Cairnwell itself.  To the west of these hills though the country returns to the wild open moss and rock covered tops and it’s out here that Carn a’ Gheoidh lies.

We visited these hills seven years ago on a rather grim December day, our plan then, to start with The Cairnwell, then out to Carn a’ Gheoidh and finally Carn Aosda before the short descent to the car at the ski centre.   It’s a 3 hour drive to Glen Shee from Irvine and we’d left very early in order to arrive at first light.   We were walking up the steep slopes of The Cairnwell as the sun came up and we arrived after about 50 minutes to stand at the summit in bright sun and surrounded by snow covered hills.  Alas though, within half an hour low thick cloud had rushed in and that was the last view we had.  The trip out to Carn a’ Gheoidh that day was a difficult one with snow on the ground and thick cloud …it wasn’t quite a white out …but it was very white all the same and made for difficult and time consuming navigation.  In short we got a little lost on our way back and with the light fading had some anxious moments before finally finding our way back to the edge of the ski centre …and the very welcome sound of the ski tow generators down below in the glen.  Needless to say we never reached the top of Carn Aosda that day.

Nita at the summit of Carn a_ Gheoidh

Nita at the summit of Carn a_ Gheoidh

Yesterday however, with fine weather and long hours of day light, it was an easy and very relaxing walk and the views all around were extensive.  We got to see everything we’d missed in the cloud and snow the previous visit and found where we’d gone wrong on our return from Carn a’ Gheoidh that time.   Yesterday, instead of the mad dash down to the ski centre in rapidly fading light, we had a leisurely stroll down the steep but soft, moss covered slopes of The Cairnwell …45 minutes from the summit to the road.  For this visually impaired walker and his guide, descents are normally stressful, tiring and very long – yesterday’s was an absolute pleasure!

Carn Aosda from below the Cairnwell

Carn Aosda from below the Cairnwell

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‘Ben Hope from Arkle, Sutherland’

Posted by admin on August 18th, 2012

'Ben Hope from Arkle, Sutherland'

‘Ben Hope from Arkle, Sutherland’

‘Ben Hope from Arkle, Sutherland’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 76 x 23 cm

I did this painting last year but somehow managed to forget to photograph it before I had it framed.  What is more, I didn’t realise this prior to sending the painting, (along with five others) to be exhibited at the Braidwood Restaurant near Dalry.

The painting is based on the view we had as we sat at the south summit of Arkle, looking NE towards the long ridge of Ben Hope.  I had always wanted to walk into this range of mountains and it was a wonderful experience.  We saw no one else that day and the light and colours were just beautiful.

Unfortunately this is a very poor photo of the painting …it is enlarged from a more general studio snap.  However, it gives a reasonable idea and so long as the painting doesn’t sell ….I’ll have a chance of getting a proper record of it when it returns to the studio at the end of the year.  If it does sell,.well, I’ll just have to put it down to experience!

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