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Scotland | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings - Part 2

Posts Tagged ‘Scotland’

Last chance to see …..

Posted by admin on July 23rd, 2010

166-on-rannoch-moor-pen-2009-28-x-21-cm

'On Rannoch Moor'

‘On Rannoch Moor’, Pen, 2009

The drawing I’m working on at the moment here in Speyer is 430 x 150cm …and it’s proving hard work! It’s coming on but there’s much work still to do on it. We’ll see how it goes I guess. Anyway, it’s certainly got me thinking about drawing and so here’s one I finished earlier …albeit somewhat smaller (28 x 23 cm).

This was one of the small sketches I did back in December last year on what was a beautiful day on Rannoch Moor. With the time racing by here in Speyer (I only have six weeks left) and masses of work to do on my return to Scotland, it’ll be December again before I know it. I may just have to go back to this stunning place and enjoy the peace and solitude for a few more hours.

Incidentally, this drawing is one of the works currently exhibited at Blairmore Gallery near Dunoon. I have ten pieces, (paintings and drawings) on show along with work by fellow Ayrshire artist Alison Thomas. If you live in the area, do pop along to see the exhibition and have a cup of tea in this great little gallery – they’ve just been ranked 4 stars by ‘Visit Scotland’. Be quick though as the exhibition ends on July 27th. For more details check out the link to Blairmore Gallery.

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Holiday booking – May 2011

Posted by admin on June 18th, 2010

On Cul Mor, Assynt

On Cul Mor, Assynt

I was talking with my partner yesterday evening about the various commitments I have for 2011. Despite it being some time away I already have a number of things lined up. In February I have a solo show of work at the Strathearn Gallery in Creiff …it’s a big space and will take a lot of filling – around 45 pieces of work apparently. Later, in the autumn, I’ve been invited to show work as part of the 2011 Dundee Mountain Film Festival. This runs for one weekend but each year they invite one artist and one photographer to show a selection of their work as part of the festival. At some stage next year, possibly in August, I’ve been invited to show work in a group exhibition at the Queens Gallery in Dundee. So then, as I say, I have a few things lined up ….and no holiday booked! As I’ve said in past blogs, we normally go away for the first two weeks in May and so, not as to miss out, we decided to book a place well ahead ….otherwise I’ll agree to something and we’ll miss our spring trip to the Highlands!

´From the summit, Ben Stack'

´From the summit, Ben Stack'

I think I must be getting old because in the past we always used to go somewhere different each year. Back in 2006 however we ventured north to Assynt for the first time ….and fell in love with the place. We went back the following year and then again last year. Guess what? We’re booking again for 2011! The thing is, it’s not just the stunning landscape, the beautiful spring colours, the magnificent wildlife and the friendly welcome everywhere, it’s also that we’ve found the most idyllic little place in which to stay. Being walkers, we like to get out early and arrive back late …and so we’re not really hotel or B&B people ….we like to self cater and then we can do exactly what we want to do at the time we want to do it. In 2006 we were looking for just such a place, either a cottage or static caravan ….and while Nita was trawling through the web pages she came across one advertising ‘Hill head Caravans’ in Achmelvich on the coast just north of Lochinver. It sounded perfect – a small group of vans set just back from a beautiful sandy beach …and just four miles from Lochinver. Well to call it perfect is an understatement. When we arrived that first holiday we couldn’t really believe quite what we’d found. You get to Achmelvich on a small single track road with stunning views down to a little sea loch below and bigger views across to the Assynt peaks. The wee road winds its way down to the community of Achmelvich. Maysie and Durrant MacLeod, the owners of the small site, were so friendly on our arrival and the vans were spotless, set just five minutes from the beach. In early May it was fairly quite here and when we set eyes on the beautiful curving white sands of the beach …there was hardly anyone else on it …just numerous birds and an odd seal bobbing about in the bay …wow, what a place to stay for two weeks.

'Suilven from Canisp, Assynt'

'Suilven from Canisp, Assynt'

We were lucky the first year there, the weather was very kind to us, it being hot and sunny and dry most of the time. We had wonderful days walking and exploring some of the famous Assynt hills, Canisp, Suilven, Conival and Quinag and spent less active days wandering along the rocky coastline or just sitting enjoying the peace and quiet of Achmelvich.

In the end then, it’s hardly surprising that we went back two more times …there’s hills a plenty and peace and quiet enough to un-wrangle the most stressed out brain. Here is to May 2011 and another bit of pure Scottish magic.

For more information click Hillhead in Achmelcich, Assynt.

Posted in Exhibitions, Information Updates, Inspiring Mountain Walks, Mountain Photos, Personal Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »

Removals, wanders and warbles

Posted by admin on May 6th, 2010

Below White Caterthun

Below White Caterthun

I think I may have mentioned already that we have the builders in at the Courtyard Studios. They’re creating new studio spaces in the loft area and refurbishing the older studio building. So, when it’s all finished in June everything is going to look good and we’ll have space for a few new artists and craftspeople …so if you’re Ayrshire based and looking for studio space it’d be worth contacting WASPS …see the link at the side of this page. Of course the work is creating a little bit of mayhem as everyone has to move out and into a spare space while their studio is done. It’s going pretty well though and the new studio spaces are looking good. As I’m going to be away soon, the work in my studio is not starting until next week, but with all the jobs still needing to be done prior to my trip to Speyer, I decided it would be easier to clear my studio a week early …taking everything home. It’s surprising just how much junk you can accumulate in a couple of years and my studio was no exception. It took Anita and I most of last weekend to clear the space and cart all of the stuff home …and today I passed the keys over to the builders. The work will be finished by the end of May and so Anita will be using the space for a couple of days a week while I’m in Germany….she can be the first one to splash paint on the newly refurbished studio!

With the removal work all completed, my next job was to pack some of my painting gear and get it sent across to Speyer. This actually turned out to be easier than expected (well, if the stuff arrives OK that is) and yesterday a large old banana box full of paint, pastels and brushes was collected from my house and is as I type winging it’s way to Speyer. With a bit of luck it’ll be waiting for me on Tuesday next and I’ll be able to ‘hit the ground running’, as they say.

From the White Caterthun, Angus

From the White Caterthun, Angus

On Thursday we decided to take a wee break and drove up to see our friend Norma who lives in Angus. We do a walk or two with her most years and she is the coordinator for the ‘summer mountain skills course for visually impaired’ that is run at Glenmore Lodge by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. It’s a fantastic course that is now in it’s tenth year …if you’re interested in learning more about the course, check out the Glenmore Lodge website …a quick ‘Google’ should find it.

Anyway, we had a great little visit and on Friday morning Norma suggested we do a short walk over a couple of local hills – the White and Brown Caterthuns. These wee hills sit on the edge of the Angus hills and each has an ancient hill fort at the top. Apparently they’re of different ages and the White Caterthun is very obvious, being a very large circle of piled stone. The weather last Friday morning was pretty fine with lots of sun but large shower clouds brewing. As we reached the top of White Caterthun and started to wander around the old fort or dun, we found ourselves being rained on…quite heavily! One of these big shower clouds had crept up on us. It didn’t last long and the views out across the Angus countryside were really beautiful. The Brown Caterthun lies a couple of kilometres away but to us, there didn’t really seem to be much sign of the ancient fort when we got there …but then again as both Norma and I are registered as blind, that’s not saying much!

The Angus countryside from White Caterthun

The Angus countryside from White Caterthun

It wasn’t the biggest walk I’ve ever done but it really was very enjoyable. Just getting out in such beautiful countryside does a lot of good especially in such a busy and hectic time. As we walked past a wee coppice of trees I heard the first Willow Warbler of the summer ….what more can you want?

Posted in Inspiring Mountain Walks, Mountain Photos, Personal, Visual Disability Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Deadlines!

Posted by admin on March 5th, 2010
'Heavy weather, Drumochter', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 76 x 23 cm

'Heavy weather, Drumochter'

It’s a busy time at Studio E and this last week has been no different.

I have to get work ready for three exhibitions before I go away to Speyer in early May.  I’m taking three paintings over to the Fisher Gallery in Pittenweem in Fife for their first show of the year.  This opens on March 27.  I’ll be exhibiting three new paintings all of which are finished, framed and ready to take to the gallery in a couple of weeks.

The next deadline after that is to get seven paintings ready for the Spring Exhibition at the Atholl Gallery in Dunkeld. This opens on April 17th and runs until June 7th.   Of these pieces, three are still to be completed but one of these is almost finished.

'Blackmount', Acrylic & Pastel, 2009, 30 x 30 cm

'Blackmount'

My final deadline is to get 10 pieces ready for my joint show with Alison Thomas at Blairmore Gallery. This will open on 18th June and run for six weeks through until 28th July.  This though is while I’m away in Germany, so everything has to be ready before I go away.  My partner Anita has said she’ll take the work up to the gallery as I’ll not be able to get back for the show unfortunately.

So then, a lot of painting still to be done, but I do already have some work finished and ready for this show.

'On Rannoch moor', Acrylic & Pastel, 2010, 30 x 30 cm

'On Rannoch Moor'

The week started off though, with my meeting a deadline …which is always good.  As I’ve already mentioned in an earlier blog, I’ve been asked to act as a patron to ‘the gallery on the corner’, a new project being established by Autism Ventures, Scotland.  The gallery is in a prime location in Edinburgh and will be opening towards the end of March.  Its official launch will be on 22nd, 23rd & 24th April.  For more details about the gallery and Autism Ventures, Scotland, see below.  Suffice to say, they kindly asked me to exhibit a few pieces of my work in their new gallery and so I’ve been trying to get a few new paintings finished for them.

On Monday two of the people involved in setting up the gallery, visited my studio to pick up the five pieces of work.  Three of these are new paintings, two of which are 30 x 30 cm and one being 76 x 23cm.  I’ve also included a brand new small drawing and a pencil drawing I did last year.  I think the five pieces should work quite well together and I’m looking forward to seeing them on the walls of the new gallery.

The Gallery on the Corner

The gallery on the corner is the first social firm from Autism Ventures Scotland (AVS), part of the Autism Initiatives Group. AVS has been established to create employment opportunities and experiences for young people with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) in Scotland.

The gallery on the corner is an inclusive, fine art gallery situated in Edinburgh’s New Town. It provides artists who have a disability, mental health problems or those from a disadvantaged background with a platform to exhibit and sell their artwork in a high profile location in the heart of Edinburgh’s gallery district. Beneath the commercial gallery space we have four studio spaces that will be rented to practicing artists who will work with apprentices with ASC.

A third branch of the business will open later in 2010. We are in the process of securing premises for a creative studio where young people with ASC will produce original artwork for sale, using an ‘art as therapy’ approach.

AVS will be offering apprenticeships and other opportunities to 16- 25 year olds with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) in both retail and art. The apprenticeships will include on the job, and vocational training, resulting in a recognised qualification.

Contact details:

The Gallery on the Corner

34 Northumberland St

Edinburgh EH3 6LS

Phone numbers:

Gallery:    0131 557 8969

Studios:    0131 557 8921

Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm

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    Contact Details

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