Tag Archives: sea paintings

50 Paintings of Eigg Series. No. 16

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Eigg Series. N. 16

Eigg Series. No. 16. Acrylic and ink on 5×5″ wood

P1100712Today’s painting – a view of Laig Bay and its silver/white sands. This was one of those days when I struggled to paint and despite years of painting it never seems to be in my control!

 

On some days it’s almost as though every stroke of paint adds something to the painting, while on others every brush stroke detracts, so I worked on three at the same time, the thinking being that one at least would work!

Having enjoyed the way ink stains gesso, today that effect was driving me mad and the sands of Laig Bay stubbornly refused to turn silver/white. Solution – cover it in varnish, blast it with a hairdryer and start again. Such are the minor challenges in my day.

Off the topic of Eigg somewhat, but still on the subject of painting – last night I was excited to see there was an excellent documentary ‘The Madness of Vermeer’ (BBC iplayer or catch up BBC4). Utterly fascinating and a revelation to discover just how chaotic and traumatic his life was.

Of the classic artists Vermeer is without doubt my favourite – and the Northern Renaissance in general, probably because it’s a light I understand, having lived in the north.

But also for the same reason others love Northern Renaissance art – the sense of utter stillness; so at odds with the chaos of Vermeer’s life. It seems that he spent a lifetime trying to capture in paint the ideal conditions of peace that eluded him all his short life.

Poring over Vermeer’s work in loving detail, presenter Andrew Graham-Dixon pointed out the deliberate rough edges amongst the perfected brushwork, which catch the eye and reflect light. Also the use of sand to capture light (at least I’m doing something Vermeer-esque!).

It was the conclusion of the documentary that so moved me, I won’t paraphrase and will just add this link for your viewing pleasure! –

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074pym/Secret_Lives_of_the_Artists_The_Madness_of_Vermeer/

And a photograph of a Laig Bay wave in nothern light..

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50 Paintings of Eigg Series. No. 11

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Eigg Series. No. 11. Acrylic, ink and salt on 5x5" wood

Eigg Series. No. 11. Acrylic, ink and salt on 5×5″ wood

P1100546A deep turquoise-green wave at the Singing Sands Bay is the subject of today’s painting. Painted in pallete knife, which can add an immediacy to paintings. It also prevents a close-up, lost in detailed approach, which can can make the painting seem ‘wooden’.

 

I almost missed my 6:30pm curfew today (I need the last hour of light to finish then photograph the painting). I blame my mum and sister for making these delicious and eiggcellent (sorry) cakes, which I spent the best part of the afternoon consuming while outside in the April sunshine, followed by a few glasses of wine!

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P1100494Happy Easter!

50 Paintings of Eigg Series. No. 10

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Eigg Series. No. 10. Acrylic, ink and salt on 5x5" wood

Eigg Series. No. 10. Acrylic, ink and salt on 5×5″ wood

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Today’s painting is a view south from Galmisdale on the west coast of Eigg. This silver/white sparkling light with misty horizon is quite unique to the west coast I think. It’s maybe partly due to the combination of northern white light  combined with high humidity, whatever the reasons I always find it magical.

I’ve still not quite captured it, but then again, I can’t think of any artist who has. Even the Scottish Colourists (Peploe, Cadell Fergusson and so on) don’t seem to have explored this effect. If it’s too literal an interpretation it loses magic. I hope to capture it in a simple, more abstract way before long.

When I was on holiday on the west coast as a girl I remember thinking it looked like scattered diamonds. I tried to re-create the effect with the tiny broken pieces of glass I’d found from a  shattered car window! I was never very competitive and loathed board games, so when we’d play with the 70s board game ‘Buccaneer’ I’d gaze with fascination at the little pieces of pretend rubies and diamonds rather than learn the rules of the game, and it was the same with Monopoly, I loved to play with the little houses, dogs and bars of gold, and to this day I’m clueless as to the rules of the game.

Painting sometimes re-creates that feeling of childhood fascination with the seemingly mundane or everyday. It’s a good excuse anyway, to while away my days playing with paint.

A view of changing weather from the top of the Sgurr..

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Sphagnum Moss

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50 Paintings of Eigg Series: No. 1

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Eigg Series. No 1. Acrylic and ink on 5x5 inch wood

Eigg Series. No 1. Acrylic and ink on 5×5 inch wood (Sold)

wave detail

wave detail

 

Welcome to the first of 50 paintings. (I’ll be posting a painting every day until the 29th of May)

Today’s painting is a view of the mountains of Rum from the shore at Laig Bay

Last week’s heavy weather extended all the way North and most of Eigg and the mountains of Rum were obscured in mist. Then in the evening when we arrived at Cuagach Bothy in Laig Bay, Askival, Hallival, Ainshval and Sgurr Nan Gillian emerged high up in the cloudy sky. (I love those epic-sounding names). It comes as something of a shock to me when mountains emerge from the mist, appearing higher up in the sky than expected after dwelling in the lowlands of Edinburgh!

I walked down to the vast stretch of Laig Bay’s silver-sanded beach and watched wave after wave approaching, the bay is so long that they appear to move in slow motion, each wave appearing sculpted, like bottle green glass.

This being the first in a series of 50 it’s a little tentatively painted, so I’m glad I have 50 paintings ahead of me, and two years to paint and tell the story of an island whose inhabitants work together to care for for the beauty of their environment. I won’t just be sharing a painting each day, I’ll introduce island dwellers, artists, musicians, writers, the island’s culture, history, geology, environment, and the story from past to present.

Here’s Cuagach bothy, basic but nonetheless idyllic!

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Eigg, with red dot showing Laig Bay

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