Tag Archives: Isle of Iona

Resipole Gallery

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I’m delighted to be exhibiting again with the Resipole Gallery, one of Scotland’s most respected (and most remote!) galleries. I’ve sold many paintings there over the years and they are now showing my latest series, created this summer on the isle of Iona. It’s a delight to show in the same gallery as artists I’ve admired for many years including Anna King, Lottie Glob, and Kate Foster.

Here are the three paintings (below), and this link takes you to my page on the Resipole website where you can view or buy the paintings Resipole Gallery, Rose Strang

 

Resipole Studios and Gallery is situated on the Ardnamurchan peninsula on the west coast and I’ve travelled there many times since the early 1990’s, most recently in 2019 when I attended an exhibition opening. The drive to Ardnamurchan is surely one of the most dramatic in Europe! Here are a few of my photos …

Iona Paintings

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Above, Misty Evening, North End Iona. Oil on 6×6″ wood. Rose Strang 2021.

The painting above (and two paintings below) were painted after a trip to Iona last month in mild weather. The feel is very different from the last time I was on the island in winter 2018 when the skies and sea were stormy and dramatic. This time Iona was green, tranquil and contemplative with calm weather.

These are the small start to a larger series I’ll be painting starting from next week, in response to the landscapes of Kilmartin and Iona. More on that soon.

In the meantime, contact me if you’re interested in these small paintings, at rose.strang@gmail.com

 

  • Rain and Sun, Cnoc Oran, Iona. Oil on 6×6″ wood. Rose Strang 2021
  • Sea Shallows, North End Iona. Oil on 6×6″ wood. Rose Strang 2021
'Traigh Bhan. Early Evening. Iona'. Mixed media on 12x12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

Traigh Ban Series

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'Traigh Bhan. Waves. Iona'. Mixed media on 12x12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

‘Traigh Bhan. Waves. Iona’. Mixed media on 12×12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

'Traigh Bhan, Turquoise. Iona'. Mixed media on 12x12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

‘Traigh Bhan. Turquoise Sea. Iona’. Mixed media on 12×12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

Above, the completed series of ‘Traigh Ban, Iona’. Traigh Ban is Scottish Gaelic for ‘white strand’ and is pronounced ‘try ban’. It’s the stretch of beach at the north-east end of the Isle of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. (Set as featured image at the top is Traigh Ban, Early Evening. Iona.)

I’ve painted Iona many times in the past few years, most recently during a winter artist’s residency in 2018. It’s an island famed for its religious history and its particular beauty. That’s a somewhat anodyne sounding statement, so to be more expressive – when I’m there I often feel that the colours are too luminous to be real – everything looks like a ridiculously beautiful  painting – it feels in a way superfluous to paint it, until you realise photography doesn’t capture it.

When the Limetree Gallery asked me for paintings for their summer exhibition, Iona was my first choice. I can’t be there this year as planned due to lockdown, but you can be sure it’s the first place I’ll visit when it’s possible. I had planned an arts project there this year with my partner (an animator, watercolourist and musician) and Devo, a filmmaker from New York, so these paintings are a bit of therapy for me in the meantime! We’d hoped to respond to the island’s beauty, atmosphere and history in numerous ways, so I hope that will go ahead in the not too distant future.

They’ll be available from the Limetree Gallery soon, but if you’re interested in reserving one, you can contact them from their website on this link – Limetree Gallery.

The gallery (and its partner gallery in Long Melford Suffolk) is owned and run by Sue and Stephen – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with them over the years. We’ve had fun times and interesting conversations whenever there’s been a chance to meet in person, so as I’m currently enjoying an early evening gin and tonic I’ll raise a glass to Sue and Stephen –  long may your galleries continue to show and sell great work!

'Traigh Bhan Nam Monach. Iona'. Mixed media on 12x12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

New paintings for the Limetree Gallery

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'Sanna Sundown'. Mixed media on 12x12 inch wood board. Rose Strang 2020

In progress. ‘Sanna Sundown’ and at  top – Traigh Bhan Nam Monach, Iona

Today’s paintings in progress for the Limetree Gallery, Bristol. Traigh Bhan Nam Monach, Iona is complete. Sanna Sundown needs a bit more work. ‘Traigh Bhan Nam Monach’ means ‘white strand of the monks’.

How much would I like to be on that beach on Iona right now! I’d planned an arts project with my partner and a filmmaker from New York which would have been happening this month. (Sigh). Painting that crystal-clear turquoise sea was therapy anyway!

I went very loose and ‘painterly’ with these as I think that will work well for the Limetree Gallery. The brushwork is very spontaneous with just a few areas of detailed focus – it makes the eye work more and Limetree art buyers seem to enjoy this painterly approach that lets the viewer see more of the artist’s hand in the brushwork.

Needless to say, I enjoyed painting them and I’m happy with Iona, once I had that little sun-lit ripple at the bottom I was pretty much finished. I like the freshness of these and look forward to completing Sanna and another painting, tomorrow.

And another new commission

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(Private Commission). ‘October Evening. Isle of Iona’. Mixed media on 7×7″ wood. Rose Strang 2019

This commission was for a friend from Stoke-on-Trent who wanted something for her partner’s birthday. The buyer wanted something that spoke of October light, she’d liked my previous paintings of the Isle of Iona from Autumn last year. Her partner was someone I’d worked with on a hospital arts project in 2007 and it was a pleasure to create this painting for him as he’d been a great guy to work with!

Below, my other recent commission for a friend in the US, you can read more about that Here

(Private commission). ‘Ardban Light’. Mixed media on 23×16 inch wood panel. Rose Strang 2019

‘Small Works’ – exhibition this Saturday

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‘North Beach, Twilight II. Isle of Iona’. Mixed media on 6×6″ wood block.(unframed) Rose Strang 2018.

The Morningside Gallery in Edinburgh launches its yearly ‘Small Works’ exhibition this Saturday from 10am onwards. It’s a very popular exhibition and I’m delighted to be showing some of my smaller works from the recent Iona series. (paintings in the show above and below)

I’ll be dropping by mid afternoon and look forward to seeing all the works on exhibition

This is the Facebook event page – Small Works

And this is the gallery website should you wish to contact the gallery about any paintings – http://www.morningsidegallery.co.uk/

‘North Beach,Twilight. Isle of Iona III’. Mixed media on 6×6″ wood block. Rose Strang 2018. (unframed).

‘West Coast, Isle of Iona’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood panel (unframed). Rose Strang 2018.

‘North Beach,Twilight. Isle of Iona’. Mixed media on 6×6″ wood block.(unframed). Rose Strang 2018.