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Hebrides 13
Today’s paintings in progress, of the Isle of Harris.
I was ‘channeling’ Frank Auerbach a bit on the very textured paintings (at least in terms of impasto paint application if not talent!) A camera tends to flatten out texture, so I’ve taken one sideways to show the thick layers –
Most of Auerbach’s works are portraits, but here’s a landscape example below –
I remember gazing in fascination at one of his thickly textured portraits at Inverleith House Art Gallery in Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens as a teenager.
As with many others I was shocked to hear the recent announcement that the gallery will be closed due to funding cuts. Arts critic Joyce MacMillan began a petition online (link below) which you can sign to show your support for the gallery to remain open. I remain hopeful!
Hebrides 12
A still of the little video I’m making of our collaborative response to Lewis and Harris, with an excerpt of Louise’s poem – ‘At Liceasto’
I’ve been re-editing this, also meeting with Atzi Muramatsu today to discuss music, then I’ll layer on the final edit with music and it should be finished by Thursday or Friday. It’ll be a taste of a longer video I’ll create later this year.
There will be an online sale of the first series of small paintings on wood – around twenty works at 5×5″. Updates after November 5th. These are the first three:
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- Sold. ‘Callanish 1’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- Sold. ‘Leaving Ullapool 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- Sold. ‘Callanish 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
Also having fun with one of my Harris photos today – v retro and 2001 Space Odyssey-esque don’t you think, appropriately – as the Harris landscape was used by Kubrick for the Jupiter scene..
Hebrides 11
Liceasto 4 (Harris)’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood
‘Liceasto 3 (Harris). Mixed media on 10×10″ wood
‘Leaving Ullapool’. Mixed media on 20×16″ canvas
‘Liceasto (Harris)’. Mixed media on 20×16″ canvas
Today’s paintings – a couple of very quick paintings on canvas at 20×16 inches, also two more works on 10×10 inch wood, adding to the Harris and Lewis series. There’s a definite palette and mood emerging – white, green, rust, black and blue…
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- Sold. ‘Leaving Ullapool 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- Sold. ‘Callanish 1’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- Sold. ‘Callanish 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- ‘Harris, Sea Loch. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood
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- Sold . ‘Harris (Sea Loch 2)’ Mixed media on 10×10″ wood. Rose Strang 2016
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- ‘Harris, Sea Loch 1’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood
The diffuse light effect is mostly gesso layers on top of dry paint – it’s usually used as a base, but it’s less opaque than titanium white and I’ve always liked the atmospheric effects, along with thick paint applied with palette knife and salt which gives gritty highlights.
I’m really tempted to publish one of Louise Palfreyman’s poems here to illustrate how well these all work together, but I’ll wait until I’ve edited the video, and Atzi Muramatsu has responded musically (though Louise might publish on her own blog – viewable Here)
Hebrides 10 (paintings, video and music in progress)
More works in progress, above.
I spent a couple of days editing the video of my paintings and Louise Palfreyman’s poems, which I find beautifully evocative of the landscape – capturing her visceral response whilst subtly touching on some of the ideas, context and history of Lewis and Harris.
Then I realised I wasn’t entirely happy with the paintings. Or to be more accurate, Atzi Muramatsu (the cellist we’re collaborating with on this project) came round to my flat to discuss music for the project, watched the first draft video then said he knew I could paint something more atmospheric. I thought so too – I’d got caught up in video editing when my focus is painting!
I’m still trying to capture the mood and feel of the landscape at this stage, experimenting with what works, things haven’t entirely fallen into place yet, so I was grateful for the reminder.
More paintings, poems, music and video to follow, in the next few weeks…
Hebrides 9
‘Callanish 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood
Today’s been quite productive and I can see the kernel of a series taking shape – the colours, shapes and brushwork. The series (which will include at least 20 small works on wood, and a series of 3 etchings) will follow the journey from Ullapool to Lewis then Harris.
These are an ok start. I think they’d work well as a block; a bit like a wall of tiles, where the sense of changing light and landscape can be seen as a pattern, which will take a bit longer to emerge…
‘Ullapool to Stornaway 3’. Mixed media on 5×5″ woo
‘Callanish 1 + 2″.
‘Ullapool to Stornaway 1+3’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood
The painting of a small boat seen at a distance in fading light (from the ferry to Stornaway) took several variations (images below) the first of which was best. I’ll work more on this tomorrow – the key is a very fast, instinctive paintwork and I was annoyed at myself for fussing and changing what I knew worked better in the first place!
‘Ullapool to Stornaway 2’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood
‘Ullapool to Stornaway 3’. Mixed media on 5×5″ wood
I’m also playing around with the idea of luminous lines – an idea which began as imagining lines echoing the landscape in luminous night-glo tape and words for Louise’s poems.
Easy to think of, tricky to do! (the image on left shows the basic idea, though the reality would be smaller scale, tape affixed to fences etc).
Since we’re applying for the An Lanntair project which has a small budget, I’ll put this idea on ice for the moment, but it can be reflected in paintings and etchings, for example the lime-green line next to the Callanish stone in ‘Callanish 1’ above.
Achiltibuie
‘View from Achnahaird Sand Dune’. Mixed media on 8×8″ wood
A bit more work on the painting of Coigach mountains from Achnahaird beach near Achiltibuie, I’m not sure if it’s improved or not! Here are previous version (below) which didn’t really get the Achiltibuie light effects which were very soft that day.
‘View from Achnahaird Sand Dune’. Mixed media on 8×8″ wood
‘View from Achnahaird Sand Dune’. Mixed media on 8×8″ wood
From next week I’ll be working on a series of twenty 5×5″ paintings on wood of Lewis and Harris..
Hebrides 8
‘View from Achnahaird Sand Dune’. Mixed media on 8×8″ wood
‘Liceasto, Harris’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood
Today’s paintings – ‘View from Achnahaird Sand Dune’ and a bit more work on ‘Liceasto, Harris’.
The first was much improved with a little time in a hot oven to create a
crackle effect..
Maps showing Liceasto on Harris, and Achnahaird on the Coigach coast…
Liceasto
Achnahaird
Hebrides day 6
A few rough experiments today, of the Harris landscape.
I’m thinking that this subject lends itself to etching though it’s been years since I experimented with that process (image below – my first etching from art college days). I’ll enroll myself on a few classes at Edinburgh’s excellent Printmaker’s Workshop to brush up my skills.
Also, Louise and I were very drawn to the quality of light against rusts and blacks of the landscape, so I might etch on a copper plate, then once I’ve printed from them I’ll use the original plates as part of sculptural works. These might work for the proposal for a funding opportunity that’s come up (organised by An Lanntair, contemporary gallery in Stornaway and Glasgow School of Art) which we’ll apply for alongside various other funding opportunities.
Soon I’ll post some of Louise’s poems. I’ve read one already and it’s beautiful, it seems to glow with colours and atmosphere of the Lewis and Harris landscape.
I’m also working on a small series of our visit to Achiltibuie, but in the meantime I’m awaiting delivery of some lovely new paints to play with!
Hebrides day 5
Back home in Edinburgh after an incredible week in the West Highlands and Hebrides – a journey which took us through Achiltibuie then the isles of Lewis, Harris and Skye.
I’ll continue this series of blog posts under the general title of ‘Hebrides – day 6’ etc, until we decide on a title for our project (a collaboration between myself, poet Louise Palfreyman and cellist/compser Atzi Muramatsu).
It’s in early stages at the moment, but we hope to raise funds for a longer stay in the Hebrides, on Lewis and Harris particularly.
Louise and I 
will continue to work closely, sharing
ideas as we develop paintings and poems began on our journey, which we’ll blog and share every week or so with a round up of the work produced as we go.
Today I’ve been sifting through the hundreds of photos, sketches and videos from our journey. Looking through photos of Harris confirms what we felt while staying there – it’s a magical place (which I managed to blog about despite the frustrating on/off internet connection! Link to post Here)
I described it as ‘Marshwiggle territory’ which may have flummoxed those unfamiliar with the Narnia Chronicles, for whom I include this excellent illustration on the right, by Pauline Baynes.
More photos of Harris..
I’ll also be editing a video this week which will hopefully capture the magic and inspiration of our trip, also our paintings, poems and music.
As mentioned in my blog post about Lewis and Harris, we met with poet Ian Stephen in Stornaway last week. One of the poems he recited for us came to mind today while I thought of the silvery moonscape vistas of Harris, with red berries of rowan trees growing alongside its sea lochs.
Ian’s poem echoes the gentleness we felt there, the sense that you can open heart and imagination to the atmosphere…
Should we plant a rowan here
at the sea-loch side?
The seed of red berries
for imagination,
to germinate
in this day
when leaves mould
and stars die
A hawthorn for healing,
spur and leaf balm.
Rooting for
the pair of us
and for us all.
Rose Strang Artworks 