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Posts Tagged ‘abstract landscape paintings’

‘From Creag MacRanaich, the Lawers group’

20 'From Creag MacRanaich, the Lawers group, Acrylic and Pastel, 2006, 74.5 x 32cm

‘From Creag MacRanaich, the Lawers group’, Acrylic and Pastel, 2006, 74.5 x 32cm

I’ve recently been working on developing a talk about my work and in order to illustrate it, I’ve been looking back through the catalogue of my work. I decided to include this image of a painting I did ten years ago now. Doesn’t time fly! Anyway, I thought I’d use it this week on the home page as it is a piece that I’ve always liked and it’s good to give it an airing every now and again.

The painting was based on a view we had looking towards the Ben Lawers group of hills that rise to the north of Loch Tay. We had been climbing a smaller hill to the south on a cold frosty winter day and as we reached the summit of our hill we had this amazing view over to the bigger snow topped peaks. Sitting just above their tops was a line of heavy dark brooding cloud and it made for quite a dramatic scene.

An art and science collaboration in Seattle

As you will know if you’ve been following my blogs over the last year or so, I’ve been starting to experiment with the idea of using sound with my large drawings and paintings. The original idea developed as a result of further deterioration in my sight over the last five years and although so far, this gradual deterioration hasn’t affected my ability to paint too much, I am aware that there may be a point sometime down the line where my work becomes more and more minimal. So then, I’ve started thinking about how I might continue working as a professional artist if this happens. My original plans had always been to return to making sculpture in a purely tactile way……I trained and worked as a sculptor right up until my sight started to fail back in 1990. I decided instead, however, to see if it is possible to create works that combine drawings or paintings with sound ….with the sound helping to convey the subject depicted in the two dimensional work.

I first mentioned this to Graham, the then sound engineer working at the Harbour Arts Centre, back in December 2014 when I was working there creating my large Glen Rosa drawing. He was very keen on the idea and lent me the use of one of his sound recorders. Since then, I’ve been taking the recorder out with me on our walks into the hills and have just been experimenting with it.

abstract landscape painting

Beinn Dubh drawing (Section 2)

This new work is progressing slowly and I have in the last few months been starting to work on my first drawing / sound project. I want to create a large multi section drawing based on Beinn Dubh in the Luss Hills. This wee hill offers great views and a range of different terrain. Although generally grass covered, the shortish climb from the village of Luss to the cairn marking the top at around 650m, takes you over or past a variety of ground. In places lower down, the path is stony and eroded and picks its way under broad leaf trees and then out onto open bracken covered hillside. Higher up, a level section is in places extremely boggy and waterlogged with tussocks of grass and reeds. To one side are conifer plantations and higher up small rocky outcrops. This not only offers rich visual material but also rich audio material too. Nita and I are heading back to Beinn Dubh again tomorrow to collect more recordings but I’m still not too sure exactly how I’ll use them with the drawings yet.

abstract landscape painting

Beinn Dubh drawing (Section 1)

Right then, with this work starting to develop, another angle has just opened up…..and a very exciting one too. You’ll remember that over the last three years I’ve been working with Seattle based independent film maker Daniel Thornton to create a documentary about my work. This project is still on going and as such I’m in regular contact with Dan and have been keeping him updated with the new developments. Well then, a few months ago he put me in contact with a small research team working at Microsoft in Seattle. They are currently working on a project to create a system that will help blind and visually impaired people better interpret 2 dimensional images ….paintings, drawings etc, using different levels and types of audio interpretation. They were keen to work alongside an artist and when Dan explained that I was an artist who was starting to work with sound and drawing, and that I was visually impaired too, they got in contact.

In short it has been agreed that we will collaborate on the project and all is arranged for Nita and I to fly out to Seattle in a few weeks time. We will be visiting the team along with Dan, for a day when we first get there, to see the system they are working on. Then, Dan, Cindy, Nita and I will be driving down to Joseph in Oregon where a short residency has been arranged. The point of this is for me to explore the surrounding landscape and to gather as much information, both visual and audio so that on my return to Scotland I can create a new large (8ft wide x 4ft high) pastel drawing. Before heading back home however, we’ll be visiting the team at Microsoft once again to look at the material we’ve collected and discuss how we use it to interpret the new large drawing I’ll be creating. Wow!

Back in Scotland, I’ll then have until the end of August to create the new drawing and as it develops, we’ll all be working together to create the audio interpretation to go with it. At the end, the work will go back to Seattle and I’ll be heading back there too to help present it as part of a much larger art and science project taking place in Seattle in October. I’ll be giving more information as the project develops and I should be able to post regular updates while we’re away in May.

Finally, I’ve been doing quite a lot of work on the sound for my new Beinn Dubh piece and so with a bit of luck we’ll be able to get something for you to hear soon……..listen to this space!!!

A snowy Saturday in the Southern Highlands

Last Saturday we were out for a short wander up near Tyndrum.  For once, the weather forecast got it a little wrong.  It had seemed to suggest that a band of rain and snow would move down from the north west late Saturday afternoon and so as we were only planning on a fairly short low level walk into Cononish Glen, we thought we’d have plenty of time to do our walk and get home before the bad weather arrived.  That was the plan anyway!

When we left Irvine just after eight o’clock in the morning however, there was already a lot of low dark clouds around and the few breaks in the east soon disappeared……and of course, the sun rise was quite interesting ….what do they say about red sky in the morning?! 

By the time we got to Loch Lomond it was already very gloomy although Nita said you could see the snow covered tops of the mountains.  At the southern end of the loch the snow level was a couple of hundred metres above the road but by the time we got to the top end of the loch …it was down to road level and at Crianlarich and Tyndrum there was quite a bit laying everywhere and the snow plough had piled it up a little at the sides of the road.

Of course, of course, we had to go into the Green Welly for a cuppa (we were good though …we didn’t have a bacon or egg roll this time) but on emerging out into the car park to get our gear on …Nita said that it was starting to snow lightly.  Not in the plan at all …but it didn’t seem much and so we headed off on our walk.  By the time we had crossed the railway by the station and started up the forestry track that leads over into the glen, it was snowing properly and a half hour after that ….it was snowing heavily.  It looked great though as there was no wind and it was falling straight down and settling on every little twig and branch.  

 

abstract scottish landscape paintings

Cononish Glen ….a rather white scene

Cononish Glen is really spectacular with big mountains all around and our plan had been to take some photos and to stop and for me to make some new sound recordings.  When we reached the glen it really was pretty snowy and white.  You couldn’t see more than a couple of hundred metres up the hillside and ice had made the river much narrower than normal.  At this point though, we did stop for 15 minutes while I set my sound recorder to work …inside a water proof rucksack!  On returning home I found I’d captured the soft noise of the snow flakes hitting the outside of the rucksack with the very faint sound of the river in the background.

abstract landscape art

Meeting the West Highland Way

Anyway, by this time we were starting to think that the roads might not be so clever and so decided to cut short the walk and to head back.  We didn’t just retrace our steps though but followed the glen back to a point where we could meet the West Highland Way ….and then follow that back through the beautiful Tyndrum Community Woodland into the village. 

abstract scottish art

By the West Highland Way, near Tyndrum

scottish hillwalking blog

In Tyndrum Community Woodland

It made for a lovely walk and we were back at the Green Welly by about two o’clock.  The road wasn’t looking great …snow with tyre tracks ….but as we got out of our gear the snow plough / gritter came along.

I had said to Nita that we shouldn’t worry as by the time we were back down to Loch Lomond it would be warmer and the roads would be fine there.  Got that wrong ….if anything it got worse and the snow fell harder…..and kept on falling all the way back to Irvine!!  Took us over two and a half hours to get back ….but it did look great and we’d had a fabulous if short day out.

Working with big paint brushes

Big Paint Brushes

What a difference 40 years make!

When I was in my early teens I loved to paint using very small brushes, quite often, those “00” sable ones that were so fine you could easily count the number of individual hairs! Now, forty something years on, I’ve found myself going towards the opposite extreme and more and more of my work is being created using my two big old horse hair house painting brushes. I guess that my fuzzy sight has something to do with it, but there is much more to it than that.

I’ve been using quite large paint brushes for quite some time now but to start with these were modern nylon brushes that made nice wide marks, but ones that lacked much character. The bristles are fine and bendy and give little resistance to the paint and so they make a soft kind of mark. When however, I found my fathers old house painting brushes a few years ago, with their thick tough horse hair, I had found something that produced a wonderful course set of marks ….especially in thick oil paint.

work in progress

‘In the Luss Hills’, work still in progress

I’ve been using these two old paint brushes now since 2009 and am starting, at long last to work out how to get the best out of them. The paintings shown here have all been done in the last year or two and I’m getting quite excited by the possibilities.

Scottish Landscape painting

‘Rannoch Moor from Ghlas Bheinn, February’

Abstract Landscape Painting

‘Below Canisp, passing hail shower’

Abstract Landscape Painting

‘Between showers, from the upper slopes of Canisp’

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‘Towards the Blackmount, winter’

'Towards the Blackmount, winter', Oil on canvas, 2014, 120 x 120 cm

‘Towards the Blackmount, winter’

‘Towards the Blackmount, winter’, Oil on canvas, 2014, 120 x 120 cm

It has been such a busy year that I’ve only just got back to working on another large scale painting.  This piece was the last big canvas I did, completing it in the autumn last year.  The painting, done in thick over-lapping brush strokes in traditional oil colour, is based on views we’ve seen while walking the hills around Blackmount.  On this scale the painting tends towards the abstract but hopefully conveys much of the drama, colour and atmosphere of this Wild Mountain and moor-land landscape.

This painting is currently stored at my studio and can be viewed on request.  Visitors are always welcome.

‘From above Cononish’

'From above Cononish', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 40 x 40 cm

‘From above Cononish’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 40 x 40 cm
Price: £720
Price from 1st September 2015, £1008

This is one of the paintings I’ll be showing in my “Highland walks” exhibition at “the gallery on the corner” in Edinburgh, from August 7th – August 29th 2015.

The painting was created following a walk in the hills above Cononish near Tyndrum.  The colours on that late winter afternoon were fantastic and the painting hopefully captures something of the spirit of the place.

Selection Time

There is just a week to go until I deliver the paintings to “the gallery on the corner” in Edinburgh, ready for my exhibition, “Highland walks” which opens on Friday 7th August.  This of course means that I’m currently in panic mode!

 To be included in "Highland Walks "exhibition

To be included in “Highland Walks “exhibition

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks slowly deciding which paintings to include and panicking that I might not have enough work…..despite the fact that I know that I have ample.   I always want to include the newest pieces and so have been trying to finish several paintings and drawings and get them framed ready for the delivery date. After much thinking and looking I’ve got it down to 29 framed pieces of which I’ll probably take 25 in the end.  It’s so difficult to decide and I find the best way is to copy images of the paintings into a separate file on my computer and then just keep on viewing the selection.  If helps me root out pieces that look great on their own but might not work with others in an exhibition.  It’s very time consuming and I’m a terrible one for changing my mind!  I put this down to the visual impairment but in all honesty I’m just terrible at making decisions!

 To be included in "Highland Walks "exhibition

To be included in “Highland Walks “exhibition

Selling three pieces over the last month has actually made the decision making process slightly easier and I now think that I’ve got a good selection.  When I last had an exhibition at “the gallery on the corner” a few years ago, the emphasis was probably on the more traditional landscape views.  In “Highland walks”, the emphasis will probably be on the slightly more abstract work.

I’m also planning to include a good range of sizes of work, from one of my 125 x 85 cm graphite drawings of Glen Rosa, to five of my small post card size, (210 x 148 mm) paintings.  In between, there will be several of the 30 x 30 cm pieces, two 40 x 40 cm pieces and a number of the long thin 76 x 23 cm paintings.  Finally, although I haven’t yet decided which, I’ll be taking three of the 80 x 80 cm works.

341  'From Gael Charn, the Drumochter Hills.jpg', Acrylic  & Pastel, 2015, 210 x148 mm

To be included in “Highland Walks “exhibition

As well as the framed pieces, I’m also creating nine small graphite drawings on board which we plan to display unframed.  This is another cause for my current panic…..I have completed six of these but still have three more to do!

Thankfully, Paul the gallery assistant manager, has said that he is happy hanging the exhibition and so once I’ve delivered everything I can start to relax.   That said however, I’ve agreed to saying a few words  on the evening of the Preview and as I don’t want to say the same thing as I did at my previous show, I’ll have to write something fresh and then get it into my head ….. I can’t read notes, so any speaking at events like this, has to be done without them.

 To be included in "Highland Walks "exhibition

To be included in “Highland Walks “exhibition

I’ll probably start wrapping the work early next week so there is no mad rush on Friday.  All I need to do then is send out the email invitations to the Preview on Friday 7th August.  This always takes a lot of time and I usually call in my secretary Nita to help.  As you are aware, Nita has lots of different hats, including those of art critic, frame painter, secretary, and chauffeur among many others!  She tells me that the pay is awful but is always there to help.  I really couldn’t do all this without her….so a big thanks to Nita.

Final selection

'Snow shower, below the east ridge of Ben Lui', Acrylic & Pastel, 2012, 80 x 80 cm

‘Snow shower, below the east ridge of Ben Lui’

We’ll be delivering the work to Blairmore Gallery on Saturday morning and so this week is one of getting everything ready and packed.

I had the final couple of paintings back from the framer last week and have had all the work spread around in the studio. There’s not a large space to exhibit at Blairmore Gallery and in the past I’ve usually selected a maximum of 20 pieces. This year, after much consideration and many changes of mind, I’ve decided to take 17 pieces, (15 paintings and 2 drawings). I had hoped to take one of the new large graphite drawings but at 56 inches long, I reckon this would be just too big for the space. Instead, (for the one large piece) I’ll be taking one of my 80 x 80 cm paintings instead.

It’s always difficult selecting which pieces to include, but now that I’ve made my final choice I’m quite pleased with how it should look. Here then are six of the paintings to be included in the exhibition.

1 'Breaking mists, Isle of Arran', Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

‘Breaking mists, Isle of Arran’

'Fresh snow, January 1st 2013, the Ochils', Acrylic & pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

‘Fresh snow, January 1st 2013, the Ochils’

'From the east ridge of Beinn Lui, April', Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

‘From the east ridge of Beinn Lui, April’

'Harris, west coast, May 2013', Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 30 x 30 cm

‘Harris, west coast, May 2013’

'In Glen Sannox, Isle of Arran', Acrylic & Pastel, 2013, 76 x 23 cm

‘In Glen Sannox, Isle of Arran’

Keith Salmon Poster the final version!

Keith Salmon Poster the final version!
Blairmore Gallery Exhibition 2013

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‘Approaching Sgorr Dhearg, above Ballachulish’

253 'Approaching Sgorr Dhearg, above Ballachulish', Acrylic & Pastel, 2012, 30 x 30 cm

‘Approaching Sgorr Dhearg, above Ballachulish’

‘Approaching Sgorr Dhearg, above Ballachulish’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2012, 30 x 30 cm

When we were out walking on Mam na Gualainn last week, we had superb views across Loch Leven to the big range of mountains that sit on the south side of the Ballachulish bridge.  We walked this range on a fine May day back in 2005 and had this fine view as we approached Sgorr Dhearg, one of the two Munros in the range.

I started this painting several years ago but could never quite get it right.  Then last year I dug it out once more and started work on it again …and this was the result.  It’s not an over bright painting or one of an over dramatic scene, but it does I think nicely capture what it’s like to be walking in the hills as the mists come and go around you.

This painting is currently on display at my studio ….visitors are always welcome, although to check that I’m not out walking on yet another hill …it’s always worth giving me a quick call on my mobile first: 07742 437425.

Keith Salmon
Scottish Landscape Painting
Studio J
Courtyard Studios
128 Harbour St
Irvine
Ayrshire KA12 8PZ

A year to myself

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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