Monthly Archives: April 2023

Launch at the Heriot

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Above: Atzi Muramatsu playing at The Heriot Gallery exhibition launch of The Living Mountain: Dreaming a Response

I think this is the first time Atzi Muramatsu and I have collaborated publically since the beginning of lockdown, it felt like old times and the performance, inspired by the atmosphere of the Cairngorms and Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain, was really beautiful!

I couldn’t have wished for a more convivial atmosphere, lots of interesting conversations and lovely responses to the paintings – a big thank you to friends old and new who turned up to the launch.

Thanks to Adam Brewster, who remembered to take a few photos capturing some moments, I always get distracted and forget! And of course to Sue Dean and Stephen Edwards of the Limetree Gallery and Lorna, owner of the Heriot Gallery, who thoroughly enjoyed the launch and cello performance too. It was a most enjoyable evening.

The Heriot is a beautiful light-filled space, especially in this April spring light, so do drop in if you find time – the exhibition continues until this Sunday lunchtime (23rd April).

All paintings viewable here – The Living Mountain paintings

New Paintings

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Above – Washed in Blaeberry. The Living Mountain Series. Oil on 30×20 inch linen canvas. Rose Strang 2023

Exhibition – The Living Mountain: Dreaming a Response launches today at The Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh and is on for just one week, finishing this Sunday April 23rd.

As well as the Living Mountain series, I was inspired to paint several more works for the exhibition. They’re looser and a bit more abstract than the original paintings which were created for the The Living Mountain book, so these new paintings are also larger.

I had a lovely time yesterday helping Sue and Stephen, owners of The Limetree Gallery, install the show, which looks really lovely in the Heriot Gallery (The Limetree collaborated with the Heriot for this exhibition as they wanted the exhibition to be in Scotland).

The eight-minute film about the project, with specially commissioned music by Atzi Muramatsu, will also be on show at the gallery, adding to the atmosphere of a project that has been really special.

Two paintings from the Living Mountain series have already sold. You can view the entire series on this link which includes contact details if you’d like to reserve or buy a painting –

Living Mountain series

And here are the rest of the paintings created recently for the exhibition. All welcome, hope to see you there!

Exhibition – The Heriot Gallery, Edinburgh

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(Above: It is luminous without being fierce. Living Mountain Series. Rose Strang 2021).

Exhibition launching on Monday the 17th of April at the Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh – The Living Mountain: Dreaming a Response

The paintings will be on exhibition and sale from the 17th to 23rd April at The Heriot Gallery and are now available to view and reserve from this link – The Living Mountain Series

2021-09-13

The Heriot Gallery, 20A Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6HZ

“A stunning series of images – a symphony of subtle essences, distilled experiences, fleeting memory fragments and deep, heart-felt lingering impressions.” *****
 Giles Sutherland, the Times, 21st February 2023

This series was very special for me; commissioned by the Folio Society London for their 2021 publication of Scottish literary classic The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd, the paintings were created between December 2020 and April 2021.

I had already read The Living Mountain several years before and I was honoured to be chosen to paint a response to Nan Shepherd’s beautiful book, which expresses her response to the Cairngorm plateau in the north of Scotland.

When I first read the book, I felt a thrill of recognition; Shepherd observes as a mountain walker, but also as an artist – vividly describing the colours, moods, flora and fauna of her beloved Cairngorms.

Her approach was to explore the mountain’s effect on all of the senses, and this is a sensual work in the true sense of the word – also visionary and spiritual. Shepherd’s words have inspired many writers and artists, myself included, because through her experience of the mountain she explored what it is to be human. She questions the loss of innocence that can take place in our effort to conquer life through will and intellect; she was partly influenced by Buddhism, but the Cairngorms were her teacher.

As an artist, I related to this quest to communicate how landscape affects us. Nan condenses a lifetime of understanding and wisdom into this book, her shortest and, at first, her most overlooked work.

To paint this series in response was a daunting challenge, but one that I welcomed wholeheartedly. I’m very grateful to The Limetree Gallery and the Heriot Gallery for presenting this series – they have been wonderful to work with and I’m looking forward to seeing the exhibition in April.

Along with the Living Mountain series, there will also be additonal paintings created in response to the project and a short film inspired by the project as a whole, with specially commissioned music by Atzi Muramatsu.

If you are interested in the paintings or would like to reserve one before the exhibition launches on 17th April (two have already been reserved), please contact The Limetree Gallery (who are working in collaboration with the Heriot) with any queries on their website Limetree Gallery

The entire series can be viewed here – Gallery