Tag Archives: green paintings

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Above: Forest of Luffness 8. Oil on Canvas Diptych 30×30″ and 30×12″. Rose Strang 2025

I decided to re-paint Forest of Luffness 8 as the previous version didn’t quite capture the atmosphere I intended.

You can compare and contrast for yourself, here they are below (the first is my previous version, followed by the latest one below) …

Exhibition Saturday 19th July

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Coming up in just 9 days, The Edinburgh Festival Exhibition at The Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh!

Saturday 19th June, 2 to 4pm, Graystone Gallery

Here’s a litle vid showing the inspiration of Iona and clips of the painting process …

Final Luffness painting, for now ..

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Above: Forest of Luffness 18. Oil on Canvas Diptych 30×30″ and 30×12″. Rose Strang 2025

This is the final painting in the current Luffness series. I may continue painting this theme later in the year but it would take a different form.

Rather than explain or describe the meaning behind this series, I’m going to let the documentary explain that.

It’s going to be beautiful, with specially commissioned music, a highly talented film-maker, powerful ideas, and moving observations, expressed by Richard Demarco. The first draft might be ready by mid July. After some final tweaks it should be ready for public viewing by August.

In the meantime, here are all the paintings in the series …

 

Forest of Luffness. Painting progress 21

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Above: Forest of Luffness 15. Oil on 30×30″ canvas. Rose Strang 2025

Today’s painting, continuing the Luffness series. These are looking coherent now, so that’s encouraging!

Here’s a detail of the figures –

I’ve decided to paint more detailed portraits onto the smaller canvases as I’ve never liked huge face portraits. I have three more at this large size then I’ll create about three smaller portraits and that will be this series complete for now, I think. I have to get on with some landscape paintings for summer exhibitions.

Here are all the large paintings grouped together –

Forest of Luffness. Painting progress 19

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Above: Forest of Luffness 13. Oil on 30×30″ canvas. Rose Strang 2025

Getting into the flow of this series at last, with three large paintings that make sense together. It was a relief to get back to painting today after a nasty virus. More painting on Monday.

Here are a few more details …

Forest of Luffness, painting progress – 12

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Above: First of June. Forest of Luffness 9. Oil on 30 by 30 inch canvas. Rose Strang 2025

This is the largest in a series of the same subject. I wanted to create it on a large scale to really get the sense of the figures in a forest – possibly lost, or perhaps they’ve discovered themselves in a different realm or time!

Here are the three paintings at different sizes –

Forests seem to have always been associated with mystery, a search, sometimes the idea of freedom from authority, or the idea of spiritual seclusion. I’m a fairly instinctive painter – I don’t begin with a definite concept that I then execute precisely – far from it! I think this approach echoes what I find in landscape and why I paint it. Adding figures always brings tension – it makes the viewer ask more questions, especially when the group are so srangely placed as they are in this painting.

More paintings coming soon, I’m having a little break from it for a couple of days while I write a book of short stories I’ve been working on. More on that later …

Here’s aclose-up of the figures –

Forest of Luffness. Painting progress 11

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Above: First of June. Forest of Luffness 8. Oil on 19.5×19.5 inch wood. Rose Strang 2025

This series is (at last) coming into its own now. It’s taken far longer than other painting series to become coherent as there have been a lot of elements to bring together.

I’m starting to see the theme of a search emerge – these figures in the forest asking questions of life and death. I’ve always loved Gauguin’s painting D’où venons-nous? Que sommes-nous? Où allons-nous?/Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? 1897 In which he asks these questions so fundamental to the human condition:

At the same time as painting this series (which explores the ruined remains of a 12th century Carmelite Friary) I’ve also been learning Medieval music from the time, which has become part of the documentary (by filmmaker Manuel Pennuto) about this entire project.

So, tomorrow I’ll share some photos showing part of the process, including really beautiful stills from our music recording session from the Song House at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh last week. Hugely inspiring!

Forest of Luffness, painting progress 9

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Above: First of June. Forest of Luffness 5. Oil on 12×12″ canvas. Rose Strang 2024

This series in progress is strting to take shape. Looking at the paintings as a little group so far I get the feeling of immersion in that place and time.

Here are the six preliminary oil sketches (on 12×12″) canvas so far (click on images to view in detail) …

I have another two small canvases to work on, then I’ll decide which to develop at a much larger size.

More about the series next week ….

Forest of Luffness, painting progress 8

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Above. First of June. Forest of Lufness. 4. Oil on 12×12″ canvas. Rose Strang 2025

It’s good to be painting again after a Christmas and new year plagued with Covid then a nasty cough – lots of viruses around this winter! The series is growing gradually –

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These 12×12″ canvases are a good way to explore my theme before moving on to larger canvases. More on the theme later this week.

Both of today’s paintings in progress …

Forest of Luffness, painting progress 7

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Above: Detail from The First of June. Forest of Luffness 3. Oil on 12 x 12″ wood. Rose Strang 2024

I made a few changs today from yesterday’s painting. I think the light’s more coherent, plus Richard’s face is more accurate expression-wise.

I’m awaiting canvases (I was sent the wrong size!) so can’t really move to the next painting till those arrive. Frustrating as I’m into the swing of this series now. I plan to paint around seven at this smaller size, then go onto larger canvases.

More about the series once the new canvases arrive next week …