A VIEW TO THE SEA

 

About the Show
This January sees the gallery open an exhibition of works inspired by the coast. The Coast has provided inspiration to many leading artists with the likes of Peploe and Cadell developing love affairs with West Coast Islands such as Iona. This inspiration continues today and is evident with this collection of works by the artists Margaret Evans, Hugh Kirkwood, Stewart Lammie, Iona Leishman, Allan Perera-Liyanage and Arie Vardi.
Preview a selection of the work on display at the exhibition.
 
Margaret Evans

Being raised in Glasgow, and now living in inland Perthshire, the sea has always been a welcome and wistful sight, with the wonder of distant shores; it inspired Margaret to paint the mystical and moody seascapes around Scotland's diverse shores.

In the past, she has enjoyed exploring and painting the north east and west Scottish coastlines, and now she enjoys islands such as Skye, where the light changes constantly and the same scene is never boring, even if she paints it ten times or more!
 
Hugh Kirkwood
Hugh, who follows many great Scottish artists in the tradition of painting directly from life, sees his invention of the paint-box as a necessity for his work. Painting directly from life is crucial in trying to capture a particular quality of light or movement. The paint-box is like a camera to him, enabling him to paint several figurative paintings in the street or on the beach. Using his portable studio, he is often reminded of Peploe and Fergusson with their improvised cigar-boxes.
 
Stewart Lammie
The changing light, colour and moods of the landscape around Stewart, particularly the coastline where changes are even more pronounced, inspire him. Stewart paints in oils, which allows him to re-work images over a long period of time; it also gives depth, subtlety of colour and textural advantages to his work.
 
Iona Leishman

Iona associates Scotland's western seaboard as a time when, as a child, she was happiest and most at peace. As a teenager, she discovered the island of Canna in the Small Isles and, for more than 25 years, has revisited many times. She feels and smells the salt and he heather as she paints these scenes. That wonderful familiarity with the wild takes her right into the picture and involves all the senses.

 
Allan Perera-Liyanage
Allan is influenced by the Scottish Colourists and contemporary artists such as Professor Ken Howard and David Curtis. Through these influences he realised that the details of any subject should be in the minds of the person looking at his paintings, and therefore began painting with broad strokes in a very loose style. He enjoys painting directly onto canvas and mixing the colours until he reaches the correct tone and colour, using the canvas as the palette.
 
Arie Vardi

Arie captures the mood, emotion and essence of a place. He paints landscapes and seascapes that are inspired by the elemental form of the land and connective points between the sea, sky, shore and hills. Colour and vibrancy, which are influenced by his Mediterranean roots and childhood in Chile, are essential to his work

 
 

 

 

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