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!