Glimmers

Glimmer (noun)

• A faint or wavering light.

• A faint sign of a feeling or quality, especially a desirable one.

In psychology glimmers are small moments of joy or peace that arise from noticing and appreciating everyday things. Tiny moments which can provide our nervous system with a positive shift to feel calm, regulated and safe.

This year has been particularly challenging but thankfully there have also been fleeting moments of comfort and calm too. These paintings hold moments of peace by the sea, moonlight glistening on the dark water, the sunset reflecting off the disco ball in my window, the gently sculpted curves of a pebble picked up on a walk, they are what have guided me through.

I’m really pleased to be able to share these with you and hope you might also find some brightness within the pools of ink.

The Glasgow Gallery

I’m pleased to let you know about my first exhibition in a new gallery for me The Glasgow Gallery.

Opening on Saturday 6th December the annual festive exhibition, this year titled ‘Small but Mighty’, celebrates the power of art in miniature. The gallery will be open all day Saturday 10.30am- 4.30pm, with mince pies and mulled wine from 1pm - 3pm.

I have seven small paintings included in the show - all 8 inch square works, natural pigment and acrylic ink on linen and framed in wood.

You can find more details about the show, preview or purchase work on the website here The Glasgow Gallery website.

Life with Water - An Tobar

I am so pleased to have had two of my recent paintings selected for inclusion in this beautiful and poignant exhibition, alongside some of my fellow professional members from the Society of Scottish Artists.

From the SSA…

“We are delighted to be collaborating with An Tobar, Isle of Mull for the first time on a new exhibition with the theme of  Life With Water: A wave of creativity in response to the Ocean.

On the Hebridean Isle of Mull, where land and water evaporate into one another, we gather to create, to question, to reimagine.

Life With Water is a call to witness and to wonder at the depth of our love for the sea. In response to UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, artists converge to explore the vast, fragile world beneath the waves.

The ocean cradles life and drowns cities. It has fed us, carried us, connected us since before humans were humans. Yet, it suffers—overfished, polluted, acidified, dissolving at the edges. What is the role of the artist in this tide of change?

Through painting, sculpture, installation, digital media, and interdisciplinary works, Life With Water invites artists to immerse themselves in imagining a different future filled with the quiet and wild poetry of the sea.

Anchored at An Tobar (Gaelic for The Well), a creative sanctuary shaped by the Atlantic, this gathering places Mull at the heart of a global conversation—where art meets urgency, where creation becomes conservation, where the sea itself is invited to speak.

Exhibition : 18 August – 24 October 2025
Opening Night: Saturday 16 August 2025, 6-8pm

Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm
An Tobar, Argyll Terrace, Tobermory, PA75 6PB

*To enquire about the paintings in this show, please contact curator Calum Hall at An Tobar calum@antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk

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About my work in this show…

Sea Change

34 x 44 cm

Indigo pigment, oak gall tannins, acrylic ink and charcoal on Bute linen.

Framed in wood stained with acorn ink.

£600

My relationship with the sea since moving to live on an island three years ago 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, snorkelling, feeling the water cradle my body as I swim. I’ve experienced all seasons and noticed tiny changes in the colours, textures, sounds and smells. I’ve sat still as an otter scampered across the rocks, floated above hermit crabs tussling over empty shells and watched transfixed as gannets elegantly plunged into the water like gleaming white arrows.

Most recently we, as a community, spent several days witnessing the arrival and eventual sad passing of a sperm whale in our most popular bay. At my time of writing his colossal body remains still and decomposing on the rocks - he was eventually taken rather unceremoniously to landfill. Many questions have arisen since his arrival; Is he lost, sick or in distress? What caused him to die? Was it our (humans) fault? Could we have helped? It has been a stark and confronting experience, to see this massive deep-sea animal laid bare in front of us, but it has also been an important learning opportunity which has lead a community of people to reflect on the magnitude of our affect on the ocean and our kin who call it home.

The desire to move to a more environmentally friendly way of producing work, in this time of climate emergency, is something I know is high on the agenda of many artists and makers. It can be overwhelming and complicated to tackle as an individual, and so I’ve found perhaps best approached as a series of small changes which will build over time to make a cumulative impact.

These paintings are part of a conversation and exchange between artist and earth. The use of natural pigments, alongside the human-made, deepening the works relationship to place. Layers of blue, plant and plastic extrinsically linked, they have been physically in the making since the seeds of indigo and woad were sown in our community garden. The linen, woven near my home on the Isle of Bute, is saturated with pigment gently extracted from the plants I’ve grown. These plants, pigments and fibres tell a story of place, time, space, care, weather, earth, sharing, learning and community.

This moment of transition and development of materials, combining the natural pigments with synthetic, speaks of the process of change. A liminal space which acknowledges the time and effort involved in these more sustainable practices, but with positivity and hope for what is possible.

Boundary blue

34 x 44 cm

Indigo pigment, oak gall tannins, acrylic ink and charcoal on Bute linen.

Framed in wood stained with acorn ink.

£600

Mapping Landscapes, Mapping Emotion: interview

An interview with Rob Briggs, Graystone Gallery, published March 2025 in Boom Saloon.

“Boom Saloon is a non-profit, global media movement to democratise creativity for good, driven by our international members.

We explore the UN's Sustainable Development Goals through the lens of creativity, across print publications, online features, newsletters and events. This work supports a series of community projects which inspire and empower people facing challenges.”

You can read the full article by following the link here >>> Boom Saloon Article

Worlds in Colour - Graystone Gallery

In my first exhibition of 2025 I’m pleased to be back at Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh for ‘Worlds in Colour’, a four woman show celebrating “the boundless potential of colour, demonstrating its ability to transform space and emotion.”

As you know, I’ve been learning about, growing and foraging natural pigments over the last year. These are the first works to include, to varying degrees, this new way of working for me and I’m really looking forward to hearing what you think about the paintings!

A little about my process…

“This new collection of paintings is a conversation and exchange between artist and earth. The use of natural pigments, alongside the human-made, deepening the works relationship to place. They have been physically in the making since the seeds were sown in our community dye garden in the spring of 2024. The linen, woven near my home on Bute, is saturated with pigment gently extracted from the plants I’ve grown and foraged here. These plants, pigments and fibres tell a story of place, time, space, care, weather, earth, sharing, learning and community. Each piece of fabric is imbued with this and lays the foundation for the artwork to be built.

This moment of transition and development of materials, combining the natural pigments with synthetic, speaks of the process of change. A liminal space which acknowledges the time and effort involved in these more sustainable practices, but with positivity and hope for what is possible.”

The exhibition opens to the public Friday 7th March and runs until Saturday 5th April, Graystone Gallery, 52 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge Edinburgh EH3 5AX.

These works include pigments extracted from indigo and woad leaves (blue) and marigold flowers (yellow), in combination with acrylic inks, soft pastel and charcoal. The frames are stained with an ink made from acorn caps and alder cones responsibly foraged from our local community forest.

The desire to move to a more environmentally friendly way of producing work, in this time of climate emergency, is something I know is high on the agenda of many artists and makers. However, I’ve discovered that it can be overwhelming and complicated and is perhaps best approached as a series of small changes which will build over time to make a cumulative impact.

‘Sea Change’

Indigo, oak gall and acrylic pigments with charcoal, on Bute linen

34 × 44 cm framed in a wood stained with acorn cap ink

‘Boundary Blue’

Indigo, oak gall and acrylic pigments, on Bute linen

34 × 44 cm framed in a wood stained with acorn cap ink

‘Another Way’

Indigo, oak gall and acrylic pigments with charcoal, on Bute linen

44 × 64 cm framed in a wood stained with acorn cap ink

‘Face the Sea’

Indigo, oak gall and acrylic pigments with charcoal, on Bute linen

44 × 64 cm framed in a wood stained with acorn cap ink

‘From Seed’

Indigo, oak gall and acrylic pigments with charcoal, on Bute linen

34 × 44 cm framed in a wood stained with acorn cap ink

‘A Small Act 1 - 8’

A series of eight small 20.5cm square paintings

Various natural pigments (Indigo, Marigold, Oak Gall), acrylic inks and charcoal on Bute linen.

From the gallery…

“Worlds in Colour is a vibrant and immersive exhibition celebrating the power of colour in contemporary art. Featuring the work of Erraid Gaskell, Jane Hunter, Hetty Haxworth, and Christine Clark, this exhibition explores how colour shapes our perception of landscapes, emotions, and abstract forms. 

 Each artist brings a unique approach to conveying mood, movement, and memory. From atmospheric land and seascapes to dynamic geometric compositions, the works in this exhibition invite viewers to experience the world through different chromatic lenses.”  

We had a lovely evening in Edinburgh for the private view, huge thanks to Lesley and Rob for their wonderful curation, hanging and writing. Thanks also to my fellow artists, a couple of which I was pleased to meet at the gallery - Hetty Haxworth, Christine Clark and Erraid Gaskell, also ceramicists Pauline Cumming, Judith Davies, Rowena Gilbert and Janine Waudby. What a fantastic group of women!

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.

Quiet Observations

A very limited collection of paintings entitled ‘Quiet observations’ - a continuation of my explorations around our relationship with place, nature and kin.

There are just six works, ink and mixed media on beautiful Arches Aquarelle watercolour paper.

*All paintings now sold - thank you

All the Colours of Emotion - Graystone Gallery

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

In Pursuit of Light

A small series of 10 works on paper ‘In Pursuit of Light’

I’ve spent the winter months continuing to explore the motivations behind my practice. Thinking about our relationships and connections with nature and community.

It’s not been the easiest few months for lots of reasons and I’m sure lots, if not most, of you can identify with that. The soothing rhythm of nature has continued to be my solace throughout this time though. The tide has risen and fallen twice each day and the community of crows and jackdaws outside my window have performed their swooping dusk dance each evening. As we sit here on the edge of springtime with buds fit to burst and migrating birds returning to our shores, the pursuit of light is almost realised.

These studies are a record, a diary, a map of this pursuit.

*All paintings now sold - thank you

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.