Alasdair Anderson

Above: Corvus Glovus
It has been on my mind for some time now that I wanted to share and document some work by the wonderful Alisdair Anderson. Pictured here is a piece from the private collection of a great friend of his and mine Annabel MacGregor. I love the humour, resourcefulness and creativity of this wonderful work, that Alisdair has created from lost, found and discarded treasure, especially the zips in the legs and beak.

Laura Davis

"I research ways of being and connection to nature through folk tales, songs, and traditions. I experience building community through singing groups, working in a Steiner community, and living in a housing co-op. I experience a connection to nature through gardening, herbal remedies, and facilitating gardening with adults with learning disabilities. I create work based on valuing each individual within the community and connection to nature. My work shows me visually what I want in the world. I can then bring reality into my life and my images. These ideas matter exponentially because we are living in a global crisis of climate change. My work shows what we are losing and how we could live. It shows the value of simplicity and an inclusive community of all plant, animal, and insect species. My work gives me access to longing for what could be and what has been. It gives space for dreaming and discussion towards action. It is hand made using traditional printing techniques. My work communicates on many levels of story and character that demonstrate the multiple values present. It can move people to access their desires for connection, community, and reconnection to the natural world." Laura Davis

Sandy Murphy

Sandy Murphy's work is part of a summer group show at the Smithy Gallery, Glasgow 4-25 August. Of this artist's varied repertoire, I have chosen his white still life studies, these interior 'landscapes' stretch out revealing their secrets, their landmarks, and flora inviting you to explore. 

Jonny Hannah

Parked up outside the House of Illustration is Jonny Hannah's 'Darktown Turbo Taxi', an alternative world, brought to life through an illustrated sixteen year old car. 

"Darktown offers me a refuge from modern life and council tax payments. A relief from x, y and z factors. Any visit to this distinguished distopia offers a relaxing coffee at the Mermaid Cafe, a great bowl of mussels at the Hotel de la Plage, and a chance to draw and paint in my modest hideaway in Rue Zig-Zag in a leisurely manner, with fewer deadlines than normal. 
Looking back, Darktown began in my formative years growing up in Dunfermline. I reckon The Skids were on their way there, when going Into the Valley. Couple that with buying dark, dark denims, with bright yellow stitching at Donaldson’s on Dunfermlines High Street, and an annual treat from the Kay Bruce toy shop on east port, and before I realized… Darktown was born. But it would take decades to rise to the surface. To help that process happen, I played Fats Waller, Hank Williams and CW Stoneking, obsessively. I watched Wages of Fear, anything by Jacques Tati, Les Diaboliques, The Red Shoes and Whisky Galore over and over again. I poured over Rimbaud’s A Season in Hell and Ferlinghetti’s Coney Island of the Mind. And there it was… I had my ferry ticket to Darktown in my hand and have been setting sail ever since." Jonny Hannah

Joyce Gunn Cairns II

Swifts by Joyce Gunn Cairns I love the delicate lines and muted beauty of this painting, it holds for me that time between winter and spring when we all are holding our breaths waiting for the sun to bring its warmth, hope and abundance.

Olivia Irvine

Olivia Irvine 'Under The Trees' was exhibited at the 2016 VAS exhibition in December.  Olivia is a painter from Edinburgh who combines observation with fantasy to create her images. She layers paint onto a textured gesso ground creating an almost collaged feel to her works.

White

Last week we went to see the children's theatre production 'White' by award winning Scottish company Catherine Wheels.
This is a compellingly, gentle production which completely captivated the very young audience. The set and costumes by Shona Reppe, were brilliantly crafted, multi functional and perfect mirrors of childhood. The tepi was just like a child's home constructed den whilst the bird houses gave a sense of magic and wonder. White, subtly builds a story of diversity and is a profound celebration of diversity, the perfect antidote for the current political climate, a spark of hope full of humour and humanity.
It is now touring to France and Spain and I hope you get the opportunity to see it.

Tom Wilson

Today I am traveling to the west coast to catch up with an old art school colleague Tom Wilson. Tom's work was always rooted in his love of the wilderness and flora and fauna. Here are some examples of his studies of nests and  the wing and feather quarry of a sparrow hawk.
I am looking forward to experiencing his local knowledge and guide skills and experiencing the wilds of Ayrshire on a wild late November day.

Christopher Wood I

I am working on abstract art at the moment with my students. Strangely I have never approached abstract art in my teaching but the students and I are really enjoying it, and it is enabling them to look at their work and use of media in a very different way. 

Above are some examples from the portfolio of Christopher Wood a contemporary Scottish painter who like Barbara Rae is very inspired by the landscape, seascape and the elements. 

Joyce Gunn Cairns I

 Joyce Gunn Cairns is one of my favourite contemporary Scottish artists so it was great to see her painting 'Absence' (above) included in the VAS exhibition at the RSA Edinburgh until February 28th 2015. Below is a new painting 'Hands that have lived' 2014 both are beautiful sensitive works full of humanity and love.

                                 

Claire Harkess I

To travel in hope of magical glimpses
to a natural world
a moment in time
passing
fluid
the flash of an emerald green underbelly
a low flying flock at sundown
the cry of a thousand nesting seabirds
a sense of a before and after
of coming from and
going to
of movement
restful or spirited
of freedom
life

Claire Harkness 

Colin Brown

“My working process involves a range of materials including acrylic and oil paints, collage, glazes and varnishes. The paintings are created on wood panels and utilise more urban colours than the colours of nature. Ultimately they aim to celebrate the spirit of modern culture, the pleasure of finding and using, and the Dada-ist ideal of looking at society in fragments.” 

Colin Brown

Colin Brown's art recreates that urban collage of life, hoardings, posters and fliers, ripped and graffitied in an organic, organised chaos.

Joyce Cairns I

Last night thanks to Doug Cocker, I was able to be at the opening of a new gallery 'Tatha' in Newport on Tay. A wonderful venture that has given life to a beautiful old derelict building and has bought a much needed venue to Newport-on-Tay. 
I should actually say we were playing sardines on the banks of the Tay, because the gallery was so busy. 
Joyce Cairns was one of the three artists exhibiting in this inaugural show. Joyce's works are autobiographical and more and more they contain objects and talismans from her life. Her paintings have lovely scumbled surfaces, building up rich layers of colour and media.
I have known Joyce's work since I was a teenage, like John Bellany she was a major influence on me when I was younger. 

Christine McArthur I

Some of these images are from the appropriately named exhibition 'a month of Sundays'. This is how Christine McArthur's paintings make me feel, like I am having a lovely Sunday afternoon baking and drinking coffee. 
Sadly it is Monday but Christine's paintings help make the weekend last a little longer.
Thank you

Burns Day

It is Burns Day today in Scotland, so here is a picture by Freya. It is cats at a Ceilidh in their lovely tartan kilts and bonnets, have a lovely weekend.

Time to pay tribute, John Bellany II

Some examples of  John Bellany's colourful work.

Time to pay tribute, John Bellany I

John Bellany (June 18, 1942- August 28th 2013) John Bellany's work and crazy life inspired me from the start of my art training. I loved the self portraits from when he had major surgery and bizarrely ended up going to the same art college and living just a few towns along the coast from his birth place Port Seton. His work can be  difficult, gritty viewing but it also has a storytelling wonder, magic and colour.

"Every painting isn't a masterpiece you have to slog, slog, slog away and then you get one, one that makes everything worth while" John Bellany

Robbie Bushe I

I was lucky enough to go to art college with Robbie Bushe in Edinburgh, though he was in another year group, and both Robbie and his work were fun of fun, humour and unique observation. This is a selection form those ECA days. When I posted the work of 山下由介 yesterday with its domestic observation and perspective it reminded me of these domestic scenes by Robbie with their aerial views and observations of  mundane life, spiced with anticipation and disappointment.