Imagine a dark December afternoon, cold enough to keep your hat on in the car.
Driving north, snow shines on the fields and hills beside the road. You’re glad to have your thermals and a bottle of whisky packed in the back, tucked alongside your sketchbooks and drawing kit.
The sun has long since disappeared when you turn into the long approach to the castle and stars are beginning to emerge from behind icy clouds. The impressive silhouette of Drum Castle comes into view as you move slowly through the arboretum giants. Small windows in one corner of the castle glow warmly – you’ve arrived.
A creative break
At this time of year I find the creative energy ebbs away a little and I need some reflective time away from the studio. This year I chose to properly get away
‘Reunion I, II, III’ Charcoal on panel, 110 x 210cm Photo by Steve Smart
Thinking about ‘Reunion’
I generally prefer to leave room for other people to make their own interpretations of my work but thought that, since ‘Reunion’ won’t be on public display for a little while, I would share some images and try to articulate what it might mean to me.
For this collection of new work the artists have interpreted what they found in the wood from their own individual perspectives, exploring it from their differing cultural and historic viewpoints. The works here also consider the perspectives of the non-human world and how these ancient, complex relationships can be read in the landscape.
‘These works help us to look beneath the surface of what we see to understand the layers of human and non-human relationships more deeply.’
‘Birken’ Charcoal on panel
The show encompasses vibrant colour, intricate detail, poetic imagination and dark drama. It aims to reveal some of the tiny marvels and big mysteries to be found amongst these trees.
There will be an Artist Talk with all artists on Thursday 23rd November, 6.30-8pm. Free, book here»
I will be in the gallery for informal ‘meet the artist’ opportunities on Saturday 11th November 10am-12noon and with Kirsty and Cordula on Sunday 10th December 12-2pm.
We are also planning a woodland walk – join my Studio News for details.
Visitor information
Linlithgow Burgh Halls are fully accessible and open to the public every day 9am-5pm.
The exhibition is free to visit and the Halls are a 5 minute walk from Linlithgow train station on the Edinburgh-Glasgow line.
This autumn I have work showing alongside some stunning artists in this unique gallery space. Art is best experienced in person of course but if that’s not possible, take a look around this 360 degree tour created by gallerist Tony Davidson.
‘Conversations with Trees’
Runs from 2nd – 30th September at the Kilmorack Gallery, near Beauly, Inverness-shire
Imagine driving three hours through the rain to an old limewashed church in a quiet Highland glen, then stopping to find a giant spider guarding the entrance to an art gallery filled with creatures conjured from scrap metal parts. Then, just as you duck under the arachnid and approach the doorway, picture yourself being baptised in a drive-by puddle incident. True story.
This was my first, slightly surreal experience of Kilmorack Gallery near Beauly. It’s a beautiful building with a reputation for excellent art and I’m delighted to be one of its newest artists.
I’m very pleased that my charcoal drawing ‘Cascade’ was selected for the Drawing (Paper) Show at Bridewell Studios in Liverpool this summer. It was chosen from an international open call to be included in this exhibition and publication of contemporary drawings.
The Derbyshire stone walls of The Old Lock Up Gallery are now hung with beautiful art celebrating trees and our relationships with them. Gallerist Rachael Pinks has taken a bold step in a new direction for her gallery, curating this themed exhibition through an open call to draw in new creative talent. I’m very happy to have been one of the 32 artists selected.
‘Turning towards the light’ oil on wooden panel
I have 5 works on show, 4 paintings from my ‘Grounded’ series and one of my ‘Rivers of Oak’ charcoals.
The gallery is open 25th June – 5th August, open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10am – 5pm and there are a series of related events planned -check the website or Instagram for details.
I recently did a short residency in this lovely gallery space which you can see more about here.
I’m always fascinated by the way artists’ set up their studios, it’s like looking inside their heads. You get a glimpse into their thought processes and creative routines, see how the way they organise their space relates to the work they produce.
While I was on residency at Marchmont House, Steve Smart helped me to document my temporary studio in the Old Squash Court, so I could let you have a look round inside my head.
A 360 degree view
The Old Squash Court was refurbished for Marchmont Makers Foundation a few years ago to create a beautifully light and spacious studio and exhibition venue for visiting artists. If I were to describe my dream studio it would look very much like this and it was a fantastic place to stretch creatively.
They began with a strange moment of recognition; an ailing beech found on a walk seeming to contain something figurative beyond the visible. Once I’d seen this I couldn’t unsee it – pareidolia was at work.
When I first started this series way back in 2012-13 I called them ‘Ghosts’ because they carried memories and echoes of things I couldn’t quite grasp on a conscious level, but sincerely wanted to connect with. For me, these works had a dark energy and a bittersweet mix of emotions behind them. The art was a way of expressing something I couldn’t do any other way and it’s quite difficult to write about even now. Their mystery was always appealing to both myself and the collectors who ultimately chose them.
For the last couple of months I’ve had the opportunity to explore the grounds and wider estate at Marchmont House, hunting for trees and foraging for images to feed into the development of my commissioned works.
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