I was thrilled to take part recently in a music video directed by singer/songwriter Alas de Lionalast weekend. Alas dreamt of creating a music video for her song, Cascade, and luckily she was talent spotted by The Proclaimer’smanager Kenny MacDonald last summer while performing a gig and he decided to produce the video.
The song is emotionally moving, very poetic and I think the music video below echoes that beautifully. I played an artist, also creating the sketchbook featured in the video. The actor Malcolm Jamieson played the main role with much sensitivity.
It was a really enjoyable day, with my partner Adam there to take photos of the experience (see below vid). I hadn’t realised just how much I missed meeting new folks and creative collaborations, it was so uplifting and I enjoyed meeting all involved; lovely people. Thanks again to Kenny and Alas for inviting me to take part!
You can watch the video here, on You Tube. Feel free to share – I think Alas has a wonderful talent, not just as a singer with an expressive voice and beautiful tone, but also a poet and now director!
As I’m currently painting a private commission which must remain secret until October 2021, I thought I’d post themed blogs in the meantime. Today’s theme is Sketches
My last themes were Sea,Trees andMountainsIn the next few weeks I’ll share my paintings of winter, abstraction, imagination and collaborations.
People
I prefer to sketch people doing things they do – playing guitar (Donald) making animations (Adam) playing cello (Atzi). Theyse are all of men – not because I prefer painting men but because, aside from Richard Demarco, the people I hang out with the most are Adam (my partner), Donald and Atzi. The sketches of Richard Demarco were preparation for a portrait which you can read more about on this link Portrait of Richard Demarco.
Adam
Adam
Adam
Atzi
Donald
Donald
Richard Demarco
Richard Demarco
Energy, Landscape
Although Constable and Joan Eardley are more than a century apart, both artists beautifully recorded the energy of landscape in their sketches. In the sketches below I’ve attempted to capture the energy of landscape, it’s such an important part of a painting. These sketches were made in Iona in October and express the wild energy of October winds.
Eigg
These sketches were made on the Isle of Eigg in 2014. I remember it was the year of the Scottish Independence Referendum. Aside from one family, every one of Eigg’s 99 or so inhabitants was supportive of Scottish Independence. This was no surprise as the islanders had effectively voted for their own independence with a community buyout in 1998. Once the community was in charge Eigg’s fate changed radically for the better with a 100% renewable energy system and improved tenenacy and ownership rights for the islanders. Maggie Fyffe, Iona Trust secretary described it to me in an interview as; ‘the difference between night and day’! Maggie owned the croft in which we stayed, with it’s little wood-burning stove, below. You can read more of that interview here: – Eigg Island
‘September 2014 Eigg Series. No. 2’ Ink and varnish on 5×5 wood”
‘September 2014 Eigg Series. No. 4’ Ink and varnish on 5×5 wood”
‘Eigg Series No. 46’. Ink on 5×5″ wood
Eigg Series No. 41. Ink, acrylic and sand on 5×5″ wood
Eigg Series No. 43. Ink and acrylic on 5×5″ wood
Eigg Series No. 42. Ink on 5×5″ wood
Eigg Series No. 25b. Ink and varnish on 5×5″ wood
Eigg Series No. 25a. Ink and varnish on 5×5″ wood
Winter
Winter’s monochrome tones lend themselves to sketches. These are of a bridge in Canonhill Park (pen and ink), Birmingham, and a preparatory sketch of Edinburgh( gesso on wood board)
Horses
Lastly, horses. They always look mythical to me!
As my secret commission is coming to an end next week (t will then go into process for tis launch in October 2021) I’ll be starting a new private commission – this time of the beautiful Isle of Mull. I look forward to posting about that soon!
Rose Strang Artworks 