We will be doing a number of small group shows around a theme this year, featuring up to six artists exhibiting six or so pieces each.
The first small group show pulls together six artists inspired by architecture. Each has a very distinctive style achieved through employing different creative techniques.
George Birrell, working mostly with oils, plays around with areas of colour until he is happy with the balance and then creates the buildings and paraphernalia that are associated with the area…most commonly the East Neuk of Fife but he is working on one or two new pieces from recent visits to Amsterdam and we are delighted to be showing the first of these in this exhibition.
Ann Cowan sketches on location and then works with collage and paint back in her studio. The streets and houses of the New Town in Edinburgh feature regularly as do her morning walks up Blackford Hill affording her great views of the city. The spontaneity of the plein air sketches combined with vibrant colours of the painting and carefully placed collage, results in beautiful and unique interpretations of the Edinburgh architecture she finds so inspiring.
Much of Amy Dennis’s work uses the landscape around Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth as the back drop to highlight architectural features that catch her eye. For this show Amy has included a number of pieces of Gullane golf course, the landscape as well as the architectural objects found there. Using pigment mixed with egg yolk and distilled water, she paints onto a gesso prepared surface producing subtle and distinctive results.
Ann Oram’s work is always a joyful affair – full of exuberant colour and wonderful, expressive drawing. Possibly more well known for her floral still life and landscape pieces, for this show Ann has continued her cathedral series with studies of the beautiful cathedrals of Rouen in France and St Giles in Edinburgh in particular. The results are typically fresh and vibrant demonstrating what a talented and versatile artist Ann is.
Clive Ramage works from his studio in Edinburgh where he is also a member of the Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop. Another artist who is inspired by the architecture of Edinburgh as well as the villages of the surrounding countryside and coastline of the Firth of Forth. Clive employs a naïve, folk-art style and this, along with his choice of colour evokes a wonderfully Scottish feel to his work.
Allan J Robertson, also based in Edinburgh, is drawn to “the ruin” in landscapes, most recently, to piers and bridges – structures that evoke nostalgia for bygone industry or for journeys embarked upon or being considered. Allan researches the history of the structures before sketching and photographing them on site. In the studio, each piece is worked up in layers of paint before scraping and scratching back into the surface, replicating the weathered and decayed surface of the structures themselves.
The exhibition kicks off with a preview on Friday 25 January from 6-8pm… I hope you can join us for a few glasses of wine and a chat with the artists.
