I make paintings that evoke landscape, at times with an adherence to reality, at other times favouring reduction to abstracted colour fields. They hint at some of the ways we interact with landscape - notions of the vastness of cosmic space to small intimate moments of particular light in our personal environments. Or at times, abstracted images from our imaginations and memories
The commonality between them is a specific kind of light, a radiance between darker shapes. I select times of the day or weather conditions to evoke an atmosphere of melancholic grace. I give equal importance to every element in the painting, ensuring no hierarchy of meaning.
My paintings can be devoid of detail but often create a small visual barrier, beyond which the viewer is rewarded with an infinite expanse of space. Empty wild places, often stark and sublime, carrying a hint of ominous beauty. My sources are increasingly diverse. I work from life and in the landscape, on the open moor or marsh. The more personal view from a kitchen window, blurred photography and frozen scenes television or film.
I am interested in liminal space - places between places, edges and borders. I perceive borders not just as physical demarcations on a map, but as complex symbols that define, divide, and connect us. Borders are multifaceted; they represent safety and exclusion, identity and division, freedom and restriction.
I am portraying the nuanced and often contradictory nature of the spaces we inhabit.
Solo Exhibitions
2020 | The Light Between, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh |
2019 | Ebb and Flood, The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh |
2018 | Of Land and Stone, 11 Avenue Studios Gallery, London |
2014 | Sombras Naturales. El Cuartito, Gaucin, Malaga |
2012 | Scottish Skies, Panter and Hall, London |
2009 | Light on Andalucia, Panter and Hall, London |
2002-16 | Art Gaucin Open Studios, Gaucin, Malaga |
2001 | Moroccan Paintings. La Fructuosa, Gaucin. Malaga |
1988 | Organic 2. Wilkinthrope farm Studio. Somerset |
1996 | Opening exhibition, Glassworks Production Studio, Soho, London |
1995 | Organic Work, Creelers, Edinburgh |
1991 | Asian Sketches. Black Bull Gallery, London |
Group Exhibitions
2023 | ING Discerning Eye, Mall galleries, London |
2023 | Kevis House Group Exhibition, Petworth. |
2023 | Wells Art Contemorary, Wells Cathedral, Somerset. |
2022 | Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness. Kevis House Gallery, Petworth, West Sussex |
2021 | Liberating Landscapes. Kevis House Gallery, Petworth, West Sussex |
2021 | Fourteen. McAllister Thomas, Godalming, Surrey |
2019 | Winter Exhibition, Lemon Street Gallery, Truro |
2019 | Galloway Artists. Fine Art Society, Harbour Cottage Gallery, Kirkcudbright |
2017 | Selected for Bath Society of Artists open. Victoria Gallery, Bath |
2016 | Selected for RA summer exhibition. RA London |
2014 | Group exhibition, Nando Arguelles Gallery, Sotogrande, Cadiz |
2013 | The Scottish Show, Panter and Hall, London |
2009 | The Scottish Show, Panter and Hall, London |
2006 | Gibraltar International Art Competition. 1st prize |
2005 | 3 woman, Atelier Gallery, Gaucin, Malaga |
2002 | Summer exhibition. New Grafton Gallery, London |
2002 | Los Canos Gallery, Guadiaro, Cadiz |
1996 | Kitchen art. Christopher Hull Gallery, London. Art in Nature, Wallsworth Hall, Gloucester. Jaisalmer in Jeopardy, Groucho club, London |
1995 | Banking on Art. Clachen Moor Gallery, Galloway. 1st prize |
1991 | The Discerning Eye. Mall Galleries, London. Save the Rhino, Bonhams, London |
1988 | The Sunday Times Watercolour exhibition, Mall Galleries, London Art for Youth, Mall Galleries, London. Art for Earth Action, Rawlings street, London |
1987 | Byzantium Gallery, Edinburgh. Art for Youth, Mall Galleries, London. |
Awards
2006 | 33rd Gibraltar International Art Competition, 1st prize |
1995 | Bank of Scotland Art prize |
1986 | Thomas Girtin watercolour prize |
Collections
Turcan Connell, Glasgow.
Cawdor Castle, Scotland.
The City & Guilds Institute, London.
Ministry of Culture, Gibraltar.
Glassworks Post Production Studio