I wanted to use this post to expand upon a recent article that appeared in the magazine, Homes & Interiors, Scotland (Jan/Feb 2013). As a painter, it's becoming increasingly difficult these days to have your work seen. There are so many painters, makers, etc competing for attention and gallery space, to such an extent that I'm sometimes asked if I still paint...
So when Jan Patience invited me to participate in a question/answer type of article along with 4 other contemporary Scottish painters, I was very pleased to accept. The article was wrapped around a feature on the Scottish Colourists, however the published article was a cropped version of the original due to the limitations of the layout and available space. So here are my answers in full:
A painting should be …
to quote Stan Bell, “ an open door to an unknown universe ”.
Biggest influences…
in no particular order:
My working day is…
never the same! Always varied, always taking me to different and sometimes new places even though I may not leave the studio. If I’m not outside drawing, I’ll be in the studio most days. A painter’s life can be a solitary one, however I love the seclusion and find that I produce my best work with no distractions or interruptions.
Who inspires you...
I’m inspired by many people from different creative spheres, however I confess a small bias towards fabulous Scottish painting. My “heros” include Joan Eardley, Tom McKendrick, Duncan Shanks, Barbara Rae, Sandy Murphy, Alexander Goudie and Ken Currie. I’ve never been inspired by the Scottish Colourists, but have great admiration for the Glasgow Boys, in particular George Henry and James Guthrie.
To me painting is/means ....
I'm really struggling with this as I could literally write a book about this statement....
What inspires you …..
I paint subjects that visually stimulate me, so I don’t tend to focus on any particular type of subject matter. Different things can trigger my interest; it can simply be the juxtaposition of shapes in a landscape/interior, or several colours working together creating a synergy that offers a starting point for a painting or a series of works. The colour, the marks and the paint quality are all just as important to me as the initial appeal of the subject matter.
Favourite place in Scotland...
That’s a difficult one! Scotland is a fantastic place to paint because of the light. I’ve produced work from different areas in Scotland, from the islands to the east coast, but I think on reflection it would have to be the south Ayrshire coast. Having been brought up in Prestwick, I have happy memories of living by the sea and I also find the landscape visually interesting.
What do you consider is your greatest work...
I’m hoping that I haven’t produced it yet!
What colours do you find yourself drawn to and why...
There are no particular colours that I’m drawn to as I prefer my subject matter to determine the palette. However, I do try to use colour in an intelligent way by making colours work harmoniously together and perhaps in a more tonal way than before. I’ve changed my palette over the years, reducing it to a number of basic colours that enables me to mix all the other colours that I need. This allows me to create much richer and more subtle colours. Regardless of the medium, I always use the same palette.
Who is the greatest living painter?....
Difficult to say, because I haven’t seen the work of every living painter and there are far too many painters who I admire to list here!
My working day begins…
by trying to deal with things that might interrupt or disturb the creative process, so that's paperwork, phone calls, emails etc. Once those obstacles are out of the way, I can focus on painting.
So when Jan Patience invited me to participate in a question/answer type of article along with 4 other contemporary Scottish painters, I was very pleased to accept. The article was wrapped around a feature on the Scottish Colourists, however the published article was a cropped version of the original due to the limitations of the layout and available space. So here are my answers in full:
A painting should be …
to quote Stan Bell, “ an open door to an unknown universe ”.
Biggest influences…
in no particular order:
- the late Willie Strachan, my art teacher in my final years at Prestwick Academy who effectively gave me and my fellow pupils a condensed version of Robert Stewart's GSA design course
- the late James D Robertson who was my final year tutor at the GSA and subsequently mentored me from 2005 until his death in 2010
- my Dad (of course!)
- Hazel Nagl RSW RGI PAI
- Robin Hume RGI
- Ronald F Smith RSW RGI PAI
My working day is…
never the same! Always varied, always taking me to different and sometimes new places even though I may not leave the studio. If I’m not outside drawing, I’ll be in the studio most days. A painter’s life can be a solitary one, however I love the seclusion and find that I produce my best work with no distractions or interruptions.
Who inspires you...
I’m inspired by many people from different creative spheres, however I confess a small bias towards fabulous Scottish painting. My “heros” include Joan Eardley, Tom McKendrick, Duncan Shanks, Barbara Rae, Sandy Murphy, Alexander Goudie and Ken Currie. I’ve never been inspired by the Scottish Colourists, but have great admiration for the Glasgow Boys, in particular George Henry and James Guthrie.
To me painting is/means ....
I'm really struggling with this as I could literally write a book about this statement....
What inspires you …..
I paint subjects that visually stimulate me, so I don’t tend to focus on any particular type of subject matter. Different things can trigger my interest; it can simply be the juxtaposition of shapes in a landscape/interior, or several colours working together creating a synergy that offers a starting point for a painting or a series of works. The colour, the marks and the paint quality are all just as important to me as the initial appeal of the subject matter.
Favourite place in Scotland...
That’s a difficult one! Scotland is a fantastic place to paint because of the light. I’ve produced work from different areas in Scotland, from the islands to the east coast, but I think on reflection it would have to be the south Ayrshire coast. Having been brought up in Prestwick, I have happy memories of living by the sea and I also find the landscape visually interesting.
What do you consider is your greatest work...
I’m hoping that I haven’t produced it yet!
What colours do you find yourself drawn to and why...
There are no particular colours that I’m drawn to as I prefer my subject matter to determine the palette. However, I do try to use colour in an intelligent way by making colours work harmoniously together and perhaps in a more tonal way than before. I’ve changed my palette over the years, reducing it to a number of basic colours that enables me to mix all the other colours that I need. This allows me to create much richer and more subtle colours. Regardless of the medium, I always use the same palette.
Who is the greatest living painter?....
Difficult to say, because I haven’t seen the work of every living painter and there are far too many painters who I admire to list here!
My working day begins…
by trying to deal with things that might interrupt or disturb the creative process, so that's paperwork, phone calls, emails etc. Once those obstacles are out of the way, I can focus on painting.