SSA Annual at The Royal Scottish Academy 2024

Honoured to have my painting ‘A Symbiotic Dance’ selected for the 2024 Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition at The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.

This painting began it’s life on my 2022 artists residency at Cove Park. It speaks of our deeply symbiotic relationship with the landscape and constant connection to the natural world. The shifts in light and weather, the driving rain that stung my skin, the wind that whipped up the hill and howled through our building, the waves that moved my body in the loch and the glorious low winter sun that appeared through the clouds to light up the landscape. The work also explores the sense of community I found and the interconnectedness with my fellow Cove Park residents, albeit transiently, of our solitary endeavours. As I moved layers of ink around on these canvases the memories of this time, of deep connection to people and place, replayed through my mind. Long hours in my studio making hundreds of tiny repeating marks as I considered the constant movement of nature, how we interact with it, our connection and relationships with each other and with the natural world.

‘A Symbiotic Dance’

“The SSA Annual Exhibition is one of the largest contemporary art exhibitions in Scotland. It is produced and supported entirely by artists with no public funding. The exhibition will take place at The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh from Saturday 23 November – Wednesday 11 December 2024. 

We are an outward-looking Society that is committed to bringing international and local artists together, enriching the creative culture of Scotland and providing a platform for diverse perspectives. We have a proud history of promoting contemporary artists at all stages of their career by exhibiting established and mid-career artists alongside emerging artists and new art school graduates; and with a 126th Annual Exhibition that showcases a spectacular cross-section of what contemporary art in Scotland has to offer, this year is no exception.”

Exhibition Dates:
23 November  – 11 December 2024

Opening Times:
Monday to Sunday 10am-5pm (last entry 30 minutes prior to closing).

Venue:
Upper Galleries, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL

Entry is via the RSA Front Door entrance on Princes Street. If you require stair-free access please enter by the ramp at the RSA Back Door (South Entrance) and speak to a member of NGS staff for assistance. 

Entry:
£6 | £4 concessions
Free Entry for SSA Members
Free entry for all on Mondays
Exhibition catalogues are available to purchase at the exhibition for £6 or £4 Members and concessions.

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Some highlights from the private view, including ‘Avian Ark’ by David Faithfull, ‘Moth Soup’ by Kate Bell, two gorgeous prints by Rachel Duckhouse and the brilliant ‘The Winston Smith Library of Victory and Truth’ by Hans K Clausen (which features 1,984 copies of George Orwell’s 1984).

The Dye Garden - Autumn Event

To celebrate the arrival of autumn we arranged another community event at the garden. The team did a fantastic job, facilitating an upholstery class in the new woodworking workshop, leading bike rides, planting winter crops, making some fresh soup and hosting local school pupils who came along to harvest toppings and cook a pizza all from the garden produce.

Of course I was there with my flowers and leaves… starting off with some delicious tea made from freshly snipped calendula and fennel.

It was great to have the outdoor cooking space, with wood burning stove and pizza oven, to gather round.

We picked a load of marigold flowers, so many had opened up since the main harvest just a week earlier, and simmered them in water on the stove. We did some more plant hammering - which has become a big favourite activity - and dyed some silk blue with fresh indigo leaves.

After about an hour on the stove I added some pre-treated cotton to the pot with the marigolds, which produced a lovely muted olive green fabric. The remaining dye bath was brought home and went in the fridge for further experiments!

Everyone created beautiful fabrics and botanical art throughout the day and as always the activities sparked some super interesting conversations and connections.

The community that I’ve become part of through the dye garden and these events has been one of the best things to come out of this project. I started out at the beginning of the year looking for a wee bit of land to grow some plants, but have been lucky enough to have gained connections and friendship with some brilliant, knowledgable, welcoming and enthusiastic members of our island community too. I’m really looking forward to planning the next growing season.

The next task is to start using all these pigments in my artwork. The experience of this year, of growing and working in the garden, is something that will undoubtedly find its way into the paintings too!

The Dye Garden - The Harvest

Picking a day to harvest the bulk of the plants in the dye garden was a bit tricky. I had to find a moment between letting them have the last of the sun and avoiding any early frosts, as well as making sure I had time to process the plants after picking them.

I had one free week in the middle of September so, following a short spell of warm(ish) sunny weather at the start of September, we planned the harvest for then.

It was a pretty backbreaking day, carefully snipping leaves and flowers from the five big growing beds. Many of the plants still had lots of buds on so we harvested carefully, to allow another late crop if we could catch it before any frost. We had an end of season community event planned too, so hoped we would have some fresh flowers left for that.

My plan was to extract as much blue as I could from the fresh indigo and woad, processing it into a pigment powder to store, and then dry everything else to use through the autumn and winter months.

Another thank you to Sam for his help with bringing all the plants in. It took me the whole of the week to process everything, fill the drying shelves and hang all the remaining stems.

What an exciting moment to get to though. Very much looking forward to bringing some of these colours into my paintings!

The Dye Garden - Experiments

As the season progressed we did eventually get some short bursts of heat and sun, bringing good growth in the dye beds.

There was a little gentle tidying of the woad and indigo beds, mainly because I wanted to try for the best crop possible for my “From seeds to blue” course and I wasn't sure how competitive any ‘weeds’ would be to their growth, but otherwise I pretty much left the beds to their own devices.

In the first week of August it was time to test the pigment development in the indigo leaves…

Using fresh leaf extraction methods, salt rubbing and ice bath, I processed and dyed some samples of silk, linen and cotton. I was really pleased to see some blue appear, albeit relatively pale! So exciting to see this beautiful colour from the plants we’d grown.

Through August lots of flowers began to appear too.

Across the beds we had: calendula, coreopsis, sunflowers, cosmos, dyer’s chamomile, yarrow and marigolds.

It’s been a super busy 2024 for me and I really didn’t have time to use everything from the garden as it was becoming ready to harvest. So after some research, I decided to dry as much of the plants as I could to preserve their pigment - I’m also still learning all the different ways to process things into useable pigment for my work, so I didn't want to rush this part!

I ended up with several different methods for storing the plants as they dried, from a tiered mesh rack to string stretched across my studio ceiling. A very aesthetically pleasing endeavour.

These mini harvests continued throughout the season, as often as I could get to the garden, but always leaving around a third of the flowers for the bees and insects. This has been as really lovely part of this project, seeing how busy the garden has been with insects, feels like more than just providing me materials that don’t have a negative impact on the environment, this is actually having a positive impact!

(Big thanks to Sam for his help with the harvests and for bringing his camera to document the progress. I got so caught up I often forgot to photograph anything!)

Saltbox Gallery

For my first exhibition across the border in North Yorkshire, it was a real pleasure to be invited as the featured artist for August in Saltbox Gallery, Helmsley.

Set in the most beautiful village, the gallery itself is exceptionally well curated and full of really interesting and beautiful work.

A little about the works in this show:

“This series of works has come following a year of change, growth and learning. Having moved to the Isle of Bute at the end of 2022 I’ve found great joy and solace in the close proximity of nature and community here, the constant connection to the change of seasons and the tiny variations in colour, textures, sounds and smells. At times I’ve felt almost euphoric in this sense of belonging, but I’ve also learned that you can’t necessarily leave anxieties and difficult times behind by simply moving home. In these paintings I explore how a new place and time has provided me the support and inspiration to emerge restored. How forging a respect for the natural world, deepening our relationships and learning to live symbiotically with its rhythms makes us all stronger.”

I made a whole new collection of paintings for this exhibition and took the opportunity to drive the work down to North Yorkshire myself.

I spent a few days camping in my van and exploring the area. It happened to be some of the warmest days of the year, certainly for me, and it was lovely to be able to spend so much time outside in the sun.

Thanks so much to the team at Saltbox for showing my work and I’m so pleased with the response so far!

The exhibition runs from 1 - 30 August 2024

The Dye Garden - Summer Solstice

As we moved towards the summer solstice the weather was still not behaving very summery here on the west coast of Scotland.

You can see the indigo and woad looking quite small here, they were really craving some good sunshine to get the pigment building in those leaves.

Summer solstice garden event

On the solstice itself the wider Bute Produce garden team had organised a celebratory event. Alongside bench building, bike rides and a bee safari, I hosted some art workshops using natural pigments.

As the plants in the dye garden were not ready for harvesting yet, I made some inks and dyes using kitchen waste and foraged plants. I had great fun experimenting with different materials, from avocados and onion skins, to acorn caps and rusty nails!

It was a wonderful day, despite the less than summery weather, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many people. We chatted about natural pigments, sustainable practices and made some beautiful art. We hammered fresh leaves and flowers onto fabric and paper and also painted with the inks I’d made in the kitchen (the stinky red cabbage was a firm favourite ;))

The Dye Garden - Seeding

I’m pleased to be able to let you know more about a new project I’ve just started - learning about natural dyes and pigments, both foraged and grown. ⁣

This is a long term project to bring more environmentally friendly and sustainable materials into my practice, but also to develop my work to serve a little more directly as a voice for nature. ⁣

I intend to forage pigment from various sources on the island and to also grow some plants for colour too. I’m currently on the ‘From Seeds to Blue’ course with Elisabeth Viguie Culshaw in collaboration with the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, growing indigo and woad.

I’m really lucky to have been supported in this by our local community garden Bute Produce who are affording me a small plot in the garden for these plants, as well as lots of other dye plants. This also means that there will be a lovely community element to this part of the project too, as I link in with the garden’s ‘mindful gardening’ programme. ⁣

We had our first open day event back on the 1st May, where we sowed all the seeds for the Dye Garden and planned what needed to be done to prepare the outdoor beds for planting.

The plants have been progressing well in the polytunnel and we even managed to get some out into the ground at the beginning of June!

The next event will be 21st June 2024, Summer Solstice, where I will host some art activities and the garden team will facilitate other events across the site.

I’ll keep recording progress here and, probably more regularly, on my social media channels.

Graystone Gallery Exhibition

All the Colours of Emotion

A group exhibition featuring three artists and two ceramicists at Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh.

17 May - 16 June 2024

Private View 16 May 6-8pm - contact the gallery to confirm attendance in advance

The source, mixed media on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

My work is greatly influenced by nature, not as something to sit outside of and admire, but as something we are all part of.

In my paintings, I draw on my own personal experiences and feelings, attempting to convey a sense of, and an atmosphere conducive to, contemplation and thoughtfulness.

From the gallery:

Colour is a universal language of emotion in art

“Every emotion has a colour. Warm colours like reds, oranges, and yellows evoke feelings of energy, passion, and warmth. They ignite excitement and stimulate the senses, drawing our attention with their vibrant intensity. Cool colours such as blues, greens, and purples elicit calmness, serenity, and introspection. They have a soothing effect, inviting us to contemplate and reflect.

We respond emotionally to the saturation and brightness of colours. Bold colours evoke dynamism and vitality while muted tones may express melancholy or nostalgia. Our artists harness the emotional power of colour, from rich, earthy tones to vibrant, expressive palettes, colour serves as a universal language of emotion in art, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers to touch our hearts and minds.”

“This series of works has come following a year of change, growth and learning. Having recently moved to the Isle of Bute I’ve found great joy and solace in the close proximity of nature and community here.

These paintings have developed as maps of experience, observation and emotion. Documenting; the colours of the landscape, patterns on rocks or on the waters surface, the feeling of warm sun on my face or the icy sea on my skin, the song of the blackbird, recording time through marks on the page. They come together in an ostensibly abstract image, but an image which actually represents so much.”. - Jane

Visit the gallery website for further information about the exhibition and available works - Graystone Gallery

Hold fast, mixed media on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

VAS Centenary Exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy

“On a winter’s eve in Edinburgh, 1924, Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) held their first-ever meeting, becoming early pioneers of inclusivity within Scotland’s artistic landscape. One-hundred years later, the organisation has grown into a leading platform for national and international artists and now celebrates its centenary with a year packed full of opportunities for its members.  

To kick off 2024’s celebrations, VAS are holding their biggest-ever exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, showcasing work from the finest contemporary artists across Scotland and beyond. Then and Now: 100 Years of Visual Arts Scotland will showcase 242 artists and over 300 artworks, with art ranging from ceramics, paintings, mixed media, photography, sculpture, and a variety of contemporary art forms.”

Over the moon to have had my painting ‘Surface tension’ selected and hung in this prestigious exhibition. Thank you so much to the selection committee and Visual Arts Scotland board.

Preview Night: 16th February 2024, 6pm - 8pm

- Open Date: 17th of February 2024

- Closing Date 13th March 2024

- Opening times: Mon to Sat 10 – 5pm, Sun 12 – 5pm

The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh.

Celebrating Community - 2023 in review

I often write something at the turn of the year to summarise notable moments in my practice, pop it on social media and move on. While it’s a worthwhile exercise to remind myself of and celebrate certain milestones, every time I’ve begun to write that summary in the last few weeks it has just felt self-congratulatory and, to focus on only the positives, somewhat misleading. 2023 has been a year of huge change, growth and joy in my life, but it has also brought challenges and sadness for us all at times. When looking through my photos from the year, initially to find some which show achievements and proud moments in my work, I found there are images which much better illustrate the notable moments in my year - people.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking deeply about my place in this world, where I might belong, my relationships with nature and with community. These thoughts were the central theme for the body of paintings I worked on in the first half of the year and then exhibited at the Tighnabruaich Gallery in my show ‘Confluence’; exploring the change and development in my sense of connection to people and place since our move to Bute. So, rather than taking you through a timeline of exhibitions and projects I’ve been part of this year, I thought I’d share an excerpt from the accompanying essay for ‘Confluence’ alongside some photos which celebrate the most wonderful people I could ever have hoped to have in my life; my community.

“I’ve walked miles and miles around, across, up and down the island. I’ve seen three seasons, so far, and noticed even tiny changes in the colours, textures, sounds and smells. I’ve learned about the wildlife, sat still as an otter scampered across the rocks, listened for the blackbirds and tawny owls, floated above hermit crabs tussling over empty shells and watched transfixed as gannets elegantly plunged into the water like gleaming white arrows. This is where I believe a sense of belonging can be found… by taking time to really notice and pay attention to the world around us, we build deep relationships with it and care about it’s future. Alongside these deepening connections to nature, I have found an equally nourishing connection to my community here. An inspiring group of people who have embraced, nurtured and held me, and from whom I learn and grow.”

The relationships we’ve built this year have proved to be something quite special. It’s rare to find people who you connect with so quickly and deeply, who are honest and true to what they believe in. (I’ve experienced quite the opposite in the past, believe me, people can be very disappointing.) As a visual person I find it difficult to put into words, so I’ll borrow the song ‘Labouring and resting’ by Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy to explain how this small community makes me feel. You can listen to it here, Karine uses the observation of migrating geese to encourage us to consider how we humans interact and depend on and support each other to move though life…

“The outstretched wingtips of each migrating goose create an upwash, a pocket of wind resistance for the bird tucked in behind and below. These neuks of ease, these aerodynamic sanctuaries, cut the drag by up to 65%. It’s a wonder, and it’s also a gale-bitten struggle to sustain cooperation. Every goose takes a turn. Stepping up, falling back, labouring and resting.”

It has been an amazing year in lots of ways. At times I’ve felt almost euphoric, you just need to have a look at my instagram to see that; walking through the forest in spring or stepping into the sea after a long day painting in summer. However, this is not the stereotypical Scottish island idyll - that doesn’t exist I’m afraid - and no matter where you move to you can’t leave all the rubbish bits behind. I’ve lived with varying degrees of anxiety for a very long time and in late autumn, just as we were embarking on some travelling, I was hit by the worst period of anxiety I’ve ever had. This has meant that I’ve not been able to do much of the development work I had planned for winter. This has been frustrating, but I’ve had great support from everyone around me and from the NHS so I’m pleased to be feeling an awful lot better now. It’s been a tough realisation that people/situations can still trigger periodic anxiety in me, but a much more valuable realisation is that I’m now a member of a truly supportive flock of geese just waiting to step up and provide each other a pocket of wind resistance.

As always these experiences, realisations, thoughts and feelings, good and bad, ultimately feed my creative soul. It’s often said that creative people feel things much more deeply, which is great when those things are beautiful and positive, not so great when it’s the opposite - but I wouldn’t change it.

Lots of lovely things to come this year, exhibitions, projects and developments.

I’m stepping into 2024 gently but with intention.

SSA Annual Exhibition at Maclaurin Art Gallery

So pleased to have had my painting ‘Remnants of passage’ selected for the Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition 2023.

“The 125th SSA Annual Exhibition, one of the largest and most prestigious shows of contemporary art in Scotland, is being held in Ayr for the first time in The Maclaurin Art Gallery. 

The exhibition will include paintings by Peter Howson OBE, one of Scotland’s leading contemporary painters and patron of The Maclaurin Art Gallery.

“Holding our most important show in Ayr marks the first step of the SSA’s ambition to reach new audiences, both nationally and internationally.” said Vasile Toch, SSA President.

 “This year’s show embraces all art forms including moving image, sculpture and installation creating a stimulating and inspiring array of talent from emerging and experienced artists.”  

The 150 selected artworks are from local, national and international artists and will be on show in all five galleries. In addition, Cutlog’s moving image presentation will play throughout the duration of the exhibition.”

The Maclaurin Art Gallery, Rozelle Estate, Ayr KA7 4NQ – View on google maps.

Exhibition Open 19 November 2023 – 14 January 2024

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm.

(Gallery Closed 24, 25, 26 December, Open 10am-4pm 27, 28, 29, 30 December and closed 31 December 2023, 1 & 2 January 2024).

If you have any queries please contact admin@s-s-a.org

VIEW THE VIRTUAL TOUR

The Big Art Show, Paisley

Following a hugely successful inaugural exhibition in 2022, The Big Art Show returned in 2023 and I was delighted to have three paintings included in the show.

The exhibition runs from 31 August - 18 November 2023 at The Art Department, Causeyside Street, Paisley PA1 1UQ

Open - Tue-Sat 10am-4pm

Out of the blue: interview

In the spring of 2023 writer Roger Spence visited me in Bute, to talk about my career so far.

I found our conversations really interesting and Roger’s lines of enquiry made me think quite deeply abut certain aspects of my practice.

The article can be found in issue 5 of the quarterly arts publication Art-Scot here.

Confluence Exhibition

My practice has always revolved around themes of landscape, nature and place. A desire to better know and understand the world around me.

Over time these explorations have moved and developed, from detailed interpretations of maps and geology, to a profound enquiry into our sense of belonging and connection. There is however a strong thread which continues to run through these thoughts for me, the idea that by learning about, understanding and building connections with the natural world, and with each other, we foster a stronger desire to care for and protect it. Until recently this was viewed from the context of living in an urban environment I felt little belonging or connection to, therefore it was a deep, perhaps melancholic, longing that was the driver to these thoughts and that was often present in my work. This is exquisitely described by author Rebecca Solnit in her book ‘A Field Guide To Getting Lost’ where she talks of - “the colour of solitude and desire, the colour of there seen from here, the colour of where you are not” and that “Blue is the colour of longing”.

The blue of longing, mixed media on canvas, 152.4 x 152.4cm

In February 2022 I travelled to Cove Park, positioned on a west coast hillside overlooking Loch Long, for an artist’s residency. This time allowed me to connect deeply with the environment, the design of the building providing an almost invisible delineation between outside and in. I lived and worked with the rhythms of nature, feeling intensely in tune with the shifts in light, weather and movement of the water. A somewhat unexpected, but very welcome, element of this experience was the community and interconnectedness I felt with my fellow residents. This feeling of ease, the sharing of ideas, time, food and materials, with a group of like minded people, brought my perception of what it means to feel like I belong to the front of my mind and into my paintings.

Later that year, in the depths of winter, we boarded a ferry to our new home on the Isle of Bute. However, rather than the stereotypical Scottish island dream escape so often portrayed, for us this move was somewhat of a compromise. We had dreamed of a remote bothy in the far reaches of a rugged landscape, but how achievable or even realistic is that style of living for most people? I now question if this really was the dream anyway - a place of complete solitude and remoteness? Bute was the most realistic version of our dream, still close enough to our family but somewhere which we felt had the potential to provide some of what we were searching for. What I have found here is so much more that I could have imagined. As I sit at my kitchen table looking out of the window across the whole of the town to the hills beyond, I realise that my time on residency at Cove Park was almost a prologue to this move, a moment which showed me what is important.

The light that got lost

Water remembers

My relationship with the sea since being here, and following my work over the past few years to overcome my childhood fear, has grown exponentially. Spending time in, on or around the water has become a huge part of each day and developing my understanding of the sea has in turn deepened my connection to it as a living body. Learning how to read the water, kayaking around the coast, snorkelling in the shallows, feeling the water cradle my body as I swim. I’ve walked miles and miles around, across, up and down the island. I’ve seen three seasons, so far, and noticed even tiny changes in the colours, textures, sounds and smells. I’ve learned about the wildlife, sat still as an otter scampered across the rocks, listened for the blackbirds and tawny owls, floated above hermit crabs tussling over empty shells and watched transfixed as gannets elegantly plunged into the water like gleaming white arrows. This is where I believe a sense of belonging can be found and is something I’ve read about countless times in the writing of Rebecca Solnit, Mary Oliver, Nan Shepherd and Amanda Thomson, to name but a few - by taking time to really notice and pay attention to the world around us, we build deep relationships with it and care about it’s future. Alongside these deepening connections to nature, I have found an equally nourishing connection to my community here. An inspiring group of people who have embraced, nurtured and held me, and from whom I learn and grow.

Perhaps a sense of belonging is in fact something within yourself, which can be carried around, and is not necessarily tied to one geographical place. Maybe it’s a moment in your life when all the streams of your being flow together and make you feel whole.

Attention is the beginning of devotion, mixed media on canvas 101.6 x 101.6cm

Island kin

Noticing

With the rhythms of nature

You can visit the exhibition at Tighnabruaich Gallery, Seaside House, Tighnabruaich PA21 2DR 11am - 3pm every day except Tuesdays or you can view it online on the gallery website

Holding space

Still waters

Surface tension

‘A sea of memories’ 1 - 10, mixed media on paper, 21 x 21cm

Evolve - Tighnabruaich Gallery

A group exhibition at Tighnabruaich Gallery, Argyll from 1 - 23 July 2023.

This exhibition features the work of ten artists exploring themes of evolution, growth, observation, development and change.

I am delighted to have five new paintings included in the show, all 30 x 30 cm and float framed in beautiful white painted wood. You can also read my accompanying text below:

“As I mix inks and prepare to paint in my new studio here on the Isle of Bute, I contemplate the path that has lead me here and how my practice, and I, have evolved in that time.

My relationship with landscape and place have always been a strong theme in the work I make.

Earlier in my career geological maps and the exploration of landscape in the context of deep time were the dominant inspirations, developing an understanding of place from its very building blocks. As time went on, and by learning more about the world around us; flora, fauna, land, and seas, my focus moved towards a more emotional consideration of our interconnectedness with nature. Care for the natural world, and living symbiotically with it, has many benefits for nature and humans. In the words of Mary Oliver: “…attention is the beginning of devotion.” At the same time my choice of medium also developed, from layering and stitching fabrics to painting with watery inks, affording me more expressive and organic marks.

Having lived and worked in the busy, urban setting of the central belt all my life, my love for nature grew into a deep longing to be closer to it. Over the past few years I have been considering my sense of belonging and search for connection to nature and community. This culminated in a move to Rothesay in 2022. These paintings explore this time of change, layers of complex thoughts and feelings, marks of time and connection.“

This is a really gorgeous and moving exhibition, superbly curated by Rosalyn McKenna. I highly recommend a trip to Tighnabruaich to see this beautiful collection of works from a number of talented artists. You can also see all the works and details on the gallery website.

Tighnabruaich Gallery

Seaside House
Tighnabruaich, Argyll, Scotland
PA21 2DR

OPENING HOURS
Monday 11am - 3pm
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 11am - 3pm
Friday 11am - 3pm
Saturday 11am - 3pm
Sunday 11am - 3pm

Confluence Studies

My last body of work ‘Symbiosis’ explored a search for connection and belonging, the importance of living symbiotically with the natural world and with a human community. This was viewed from the context of living somewhere I felt little belonging or connection to, therefore it was a deep, perhaps melancholic, longing that was the driver to these thoughts and that body of work.

These first paintings from my new studio here on the Isle of Bute further explore thoughts on our relationships to place, nature and each other. Part of me expected to find answers to all these wonderings with our move, however in the six months we’ve been here I have instead amassed an even longer list of thoughts and questions. For every one answered, another is asked.

Throughout the process of making these works, with their unpredictable layers of watery ink and repetitive marks, an imprint of time and noticing, I have realised that some questions are more significant than their answers.

‘Confluence’ describes what is happening in my work and life at the moment -

Confluence noun (con·​flu·​ence)

: a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point

: a flowing together of two or more streams or rivers

: a situation in which two or more things join or come together

It feels like a natural movement from ideas of symbiosis, which dominated the paintings that followed my residency at Cove Park last year. Looking back, that time feels like the prologue to our move. Like all of the fear, anticipation, anxiety and subsequent realisation of comfort and ease, feeling embraced by a community, connected and aware of each other, nurtured and held, was a short trial run for this next chapter - as I find that same embrace here.

“The world is blue at its edges and in its depths. This blue is the light that got lost…

The colour of solitude and desire, the colour of there seen from here, the colour of where you are not.

Blue is the colour of longing, of distance”

- Rebecca Solnit ‘A field guide to getting lost’

I hope you enjoy this series of works, as a prologue to my solo show ‘Confluence’ which will open 12 August 2023 at Tighnabruaich Gallery. I look forward to sharing further works and having the opportunity to hear your thoughts.

Tide Lines

I make paintings to communicate my thoughts and feelings, because I can rarely find the right words. This is often how I explain my motivation to paint and create, I find I can make more sense of the world around me through shape, colour and line. I do, however, consume all the words I can from a huge variety of talented writers, often in books but especially in the form of songs. At all points in my creative process from walking in the landscape to painting in my studio, my earphones feed me with wonderful inspiring words.

When I received an email from Tide Lines, a band which features strongly in my playlist, at the start of the year, it felt like a perfect collaboration. There are many parallels in our inspirations, landscape and place, the west coast of Scotland, thoughts of belonging and reflection about our place in the world. From “feel the breeze of the Hebrides” to “An ocean full of islands” the lyrics of Tide Lines songs evoke such strong imagery and emotion, so I was really excited to create something specially for the band. After a few video calls and discussions, about the (amazing and beautiful) lyrics and themes of the new album, my ideas for the cover artwork began to flow.

My paintings are made up of many layers, each needing to dry overnight before the next can be laid down. This forces a slowness and thoughtfulness to the process, allowing time to consider my next moves on the canvas. It also means I work on many paintings at one time, building layers of paint, pattern and marks - I ended up making three finished works for this project! Translucent watery shapes, overlapping and flowing into each other, bringing thoughts of peaceful reflection, togetherness and hope. Marks of journey and movement, glistening light, the passing of time. As often appears in my work, these organic elements are connected by the assurance of a solid form, an anchor point in the chaos.

My hope is that the final painting, which has now formed the cover of the album, goes some way to communicating, in a visual way, the stunning music and lyrics Robert, Ali, Gus and Ross have created.

I have also been delighted to see the creative ways that the painting, marks and paint strokes have been used by the Tide Lines team so far - the graphics for the ‘Written in the Scars’ and ‘These Days’ lyrics videos are so cool! Thank you so much to every one of the Tide Lines team, it’s been an absolute pleasure to play even a small part in this new album and such an exciting time for you all.

Hear more about the album and artwork in this lovely behind the scenes video from the band.

Tide Lines - The Making of “An Ocean Full of Islands”

SSA Annual Exhibition at The Royal Scottish Academy

“This year marks the 130th anniversary of the inaugural Society of Scottish Artists exhibition. To celebrate, we are taking a unique look at its vibrant history, and showcasing a selection of works that have contributed to Scotland’s artistic culture. We are also exhibiting new works by artists from across Scotland that respond to these artworks from the past from contemporary perspectives.

The SSA Annual Exhibition is one of the largest contemporary art exhibitions in Scotland. The exhibition is produced and supported entirely by artists with no public funding and will take place at the Royal Scottish Academy from 17 December 2022 – 10 January 2023.”

Delighted to have had ‘The Ebb and Flow’ selected and hung in this historic place.

NORTH - Visual Arts Scotland

NORTH is the first exhibition of Visual Arts Scotland’s Compass exhibition programme; a series of exhibitions connecting the North, South, East and West of Scotland, and arguably their most ambitious project to date. “This is an exciting opportunity to engage with new spaces and connect with our Members on a wider scale than we have done before.”

I’m pleased to have had my painting ‘Between Us’ selected for this wonderful exhibition.

NORTH runs from 2-21 December 2022, Mon-Fri, 9-5pm. Free Entry.
Private View 1 December, 6-8pm.

Venue: Inverness Creative Academy, Midmills Building, Stephen's Street, Inverness IV2 3JP

Image of exhibition space, featuring works by Helen Moore, Lindsey Lavender and Jane Hunter.

Photo courtesy of Paul Campbell.

The Big Art Show, Paisley

The Big Art Show, the largest open exhibition to take place in Paisley, opened on 26 August 2022.

I am thrilled to have had three paintings from my most recent collection selected for the show.

‘Sea-salt skin’

‘Concealed/Revealed’

I was also blown away to win the ‘Best in Exhibition’ prize for ‘A collective embrace’ !!!

‘A collective embrace’

We had a great evening at the opening, amazing to see such an open and inclusive exhibition in my home town. Thank you so much to Outspoken Arts, Art Paisley and The Paisley Centre, who sponsored the prize.

The exhibition runs until 26th November 2022 at The Art Department in Paisley Town Centre.