Tag Archives: The Living Mountain

The Cairngorms and Braemar

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(Above – driving through Glen Shee to Braemar. Photo Rose Strang. All photos below by Rose Strang and Adam Brewster)

The more I visit the Cairngorms the more I understand how they pull at the heart. In Nan Shepherd’s words from her poem – Summit of Corrie Etchachan:

” …No vision of the blue world, far, unattainable,
But this grey plateau, rock-strewn, vast, silent …”

The Braemar Literary Festival was abuzz with ideas and conviviality – it was truly special to be there, but what remains with me is the changing mood and light of the mountains and the sense that just beyond the warmth and safety of Braemar is this arctic beauty, clear water, epic forests and everchanging skies. I really want to go back there and paint!

I was surprised by viewer reactions to my paintings (The Living Mountain series, completed in 2021). It was emotional and I had some really lovely conversations with people who feel passionately about the Cairngorms, for which I’m very grateful.

I attended the festival with my partner Adam, and we were blown away by the generosity we experienced from Art Farm (the people who manage art and cultural events at the Fife Arms Hotel on behalf of Hauser and Wirth). Also by the people who run the Highland Pavilion, who provided us with fresh coffee, scones and friendly chats the two days we were there.

We didn’t expect Art Farm to invite us to their yearly literary dinner at the Fife Arms, along with some well-known authors and poets including David Nicholls (One Day), Alexander McCall Smith (44 Scotland Street) and Scotland’s Makar (Poet Laureate) Peter MacKay.

The Fife Arms instagram page has some great photos of the weekend on this link –

David Nicholls was amused when I told him he’d traumatised me with his gripping, emotional book One Day. We chatted about the effects on society of lockdown, touched on in his new book You Are Here, which I’m already enjoying – it has the characteristic loveable, flawed characters Nicholls is known for.

I was sitting next to Peter Mackay for dinner, and had a fascinating chat about Scottish Gaelic, the structure of ancient clan society and Scottish politics. Turns out we’d both drawn a parallel between the underground mycorrhizal networks that connect trees (explored by scientist Suzanne Simmard) and non hierarchical clan society. That was a bit of a niche ‘high five’ moment! Here’s my rambling post on the subject from 2019 – Planets, Narnia, Clans, Trees)

Alexander McCall Smith was as convivial as you’d imagine, telling me an amusing tale about a painting he’d acquired from the Scottish Gallery which turned out to be by a Dutch master!

The entire weekend was a rich and autumnal experience that Adam and I won’t forget, so a warm thank-you to all at Art Farm, The Duke of Rothesay Highland Games Pavilion and staff at The Fife Arms Hotel (unmatched for lush comfort, warmth and style!)

I’ll end with a poem (it was written first in Gaelic then translated by MacKay) by Peter MacKay, which, although it’s about the sea, not the Cairngorms, somehow speaks to me of their pull …

A Week from Rathlin

Translator: Pàdraig MacAoidh Peter Mackay

On the way home from Rathlin
it was the small boat – a motor- boat with a cabin and open seats out the back.

‘You’ll get soaked out there’, the skipper said,
and he was right – the first waves
broke over the prow and drenched us in a oner, saltwater

overwhelming, exhilarating us
and though we peeled the sea off
with our clothes, the salt from Sruth
na Maoile had marked our skin like moles

and the wave the wave is still flowing through us

Seachdainn an dèidh Reachrainn

Pàdraig MacAoidh
Peter Mackay

Air an t-slighe air ais à Reachrainn b’eambàtabeagabh’ann, eathar-motair le caban
agus suidhichean-deireadh fhosgailte.

‘Bidh sibh bog fluich a-muigh a shin’ thuirt fear a’ bhàta, agus bha e ceart – bhris na tuinn thar an toisich,
gar drùidheadh sa spot agus sàl

gar slugadh ’s gar n-aoibhneachadh
’s ged a rùisg sinn am muir le ur n-aodach dh’fhan sàlainn Sruth na Maoile
nar craiceann mar mhiann,

’s tha an tonn an tonn fhathast a’ sruthadh tromhainn

Art launch – This Friday 1st September

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Above Aberdeen Art Fair (AAF) 2022.

I’m really excited to be showing with the Limetree Gallery as part of this year’s Aberdeen Art Fair. The AAF is a yearly public event that attracts galleries, collectors and buyers from across the UK.

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(Billy Connolly at AAF 2022)

It was nice to recieve a mention in Aberdeen Live who were interested to hear that a selection of my paintings (commissioned by the Folio Society for their publication of Nan Shepherd’s Scottish classic The Living Mountain)  will be on exhibition at AAF this year with the Limetree.

Article link here – Aberdeen Art Fair to Feature Nan Shepherd-Inspired Works

Aberdeenshire is of course the birthplace and lifelong home of Nan Shepherd, so I’ll be taking the opportunity to appreciate the landscape while up there this weekend as I’ll definitely be heading up to attend the AAF on Friday. Hope to see you there!

https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aberdeen-news/aberdeen-art-fair-feature-nan-8709373

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

The Times – review of ‘The Living Mountain’ exhibition

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(Above: Among Elementals. The Living Mountain Series. Oil on 60x42cm wood. Rose Strang 2020.)

“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

It was an absolute delight to read Giles Sutherland’s sensitive, insightful review (link below) in The Times today. Not simply the understanding of intention and inspiration behind the paintings, but because it so succinctly gets to the core of why Nan Shepherd’s beautiful book The Living Mountain inspires artists and creative thinkers everywhere, especially in our contemporary times.

Here’s a link to the article (if you can’t access the article the text is copied in full below):

Rose Strang Review – Symphony of Subtle Essences and Impressions

Visual Art: Giles Sutherland

Rose Strang

The Living Mountain – Dreaming a Response

Scottish Poetry Library

Edinburgh

Until 31 March

STAR RATING: ***** (FIVE)

Not that long ago, in the mid 80s, in response to a question from a brave, young, female north American student, my Scottish literature lecturer opined that the reason there were no women writers on the syllabus was there that there were ‘no Scottish women writers of substance’.

How shocking that such nonsense was then so deeply imbedded in academe. The hapless lecturer had clearly not heard of Nan Shepherd, born in 1893, a native of Deeside and contemporary of literary luminaries such as Neil Gunn, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Marion Angus, Helen B. Cruickshank, and Agnes Mure Mackenzie.

Shepherd – whose literary ability was at least equal to that of her male peers – is currently undergoing a reappraisal and revival, supported by such talents as the writer Robert Macfarlane, and the artist Rose Strang. Strang’s paintings, which form the basis of this show, were commissioned to illustrate a new edition of Shepherd’s classic of nature writing, The Living Mountain, first published in 1977.

Following in Shepherd’s footsteps, Strang travelled to the Cairngorms, to places such as Càrn Bàn Mòr. Her journey provided inspiration for a series of nine oil paintings, inspired by the mountains’ genus loci and the fluid poeticism of Shepherd’s prose.

The result is a stunning series of images – a symphony of subtle essences, distilled experiences, fleeting memory fragments and deep, heart-felt lingering impressions.

Strang’s painting makes us ask deep questions about what painting is, how it functions and gives us answers to its ultimate purpose. Like Shepherd’s words, and indeed the Cairngorms themselves, these paintings work slowly, generatively taking hold of our senses and our imagination, striking deeply at our core or, if you like, our souls.

‘One cannot know the rivers till one has seen them in their sources but this journey…is not to be undertaken lightly. One walks among elementals and elementals are not governable…’ wrote Shepherd in the first chapter.

Strang’s ‘Among elementals’ deals with the idea of seeking the source of things, for like Gunn, Shepherd’s thinking was infused with the power of symbolism, so important in Eastern and Celtic culture. Here, as in the other paintings, there is a sense of wonder and the fragility of the human presence among the mountains’ deep geological time.

A wonderful film by Strang, with atmospheric music by Atzi Muramatsu, provides yet another accompaniment to Strang’s imagery and Shepherd’s words.

See this small but perfectly formed show if you can.

*The exhibition runs at the Heriot Gallery, Edinburgh, 17-23 April.

Video premiere: The Living Mountain

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(Above, from left to right: Anna Fleming, Kerri Andrews, Erlend Clouston, Merryn Glover, Rose Strang, at The Scottish Poetry Library).

I’m very excited to share a new video (link below), created in response to my recent exhibition The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response, which is currently showing at The Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh until the 31st March. If you don’t get a chance to see the paintings at the Scottish Poetry Library, the  exhibition continues at The Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh from 17th to 23rd April 2023.

The video showed at the Scottish Poetry Library as part of a launch event of the exhibition and as part of an evening celebrating what would have been Nan Shepherd‘s 130th birthday (author of The Living Mountain)

It features really beautiful music by my friend (and collaborator on many projects since 2013) Atzi Muramatsu. I knew Atzi would respond to the themes with talent and sensitivity but I was deeply moved by his interpretation. Listening to it for the first time was a ‘hairs-standing-on-end’ thrill for me! I won’t go on too much, but do have a watch and listen. A heartfelt thank you to Atzi.

There was a wonderful buzz at the event, which completely sold out (Nan Shepherd being a popular subject these days). Much of the talk included speculation on why such a gifted author only published her non-fiction work The Living Mountain in her later years. I’m very grateful to Aly Barr and all at the Scottish Poetry Library for including me in the event. They were fantastic people to work with – humorous and calm throughout!

Three authors, Merryn Glover, Kerri Andrews and Anna Fleming, shared moving excerpts from their new books. Then, literary executor of Nan Shepherd’s estate (and lifelong friend of Nan) Erlend Clouston, gave a characteristically fascinating and humorous talk about Nan, followed by a general discussion and Q+A from the audience. There wasn’t enough time for all the many ideas and experiences to be shared.

Thankfully amongst all the excitement I remembered to buy all three books, all of which, from their unique perspectives, delve into the fascinating life and inspiration of Nan Shepherd:

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The Hidden Fires, by Merryn Glover

Wanderers – A History of Women Walking, by Kerri Andrews

Time on Rock, by Anna Fleming

And here’s a link to Erlend Clouston talking about Nan as part of Simone Kenyon’s project called Into the Mountain – Erlend on Nan

The exhibition at the Scottish Poetry Library also includes a display of some of Nan’s letters and first drafts of poems. (My personal favourite was ‘Achiltibuie’ because it’s a jewel-like poem, capturing the incredible landscape of Achiltibuie – a place quite dear to my heart).

Thank you to everyone who attended the events at the Scottish Poetry Library. Thank you of course to my partner Adam Brewster who was there being supportive and creative throughout this project (which was two years in the making!) and for the stunning photos of the Cairngorms which feature in the video above. And again thanks to the Scottish Poetry Library for making the event so special and exciting. I think it’s wonderful how inspiration leads to many new inspirations, ever blossoming. It was just great to meet everyone there and share our love of The Living Mountain. Here’s to many more such events in future!

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response continues at the Scottish Poetry Library until 31st March, then goes on exhibition for one week at the Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh from 17th to 23rd April.

 

Exhibition article

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Just four days now to the exhibition launch of The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response, at The Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh.

The panel discussion on the 17th February has now sold out, but the exhibition continues until the 31st March, before going on exhibition at The Heriot Gallery Dundas Street, Edinburgh. All details Here

The National have just published an article about the exhibition and talk, which you can view here – Nan Shepherd: Exhibition to mark 130th birthday of famed Scottish environmentalist

Happy 130th Birthday Nan Shepherd!

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Author of The Living Mountain, Nan Shepherd, was born on the 11th February 1893. To celebrate her birthday, the Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, has organised an exhibition and panel discussion, all details below …

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response showcases new paintings by Rose Strang and goes on exhibition at the Scottish Poetry Library, and the Heriot Gallery, Edinburgh, in February then April 2023.

A response to one of Scotland’s best-loved classics of landscape literature, this series of paintings was commissioned by the Folio Society London for their 2021 publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

Robert MacFarlane, award-winning author of best-selling books The Lost Words and The Wild Places and one of the UK’s best-known devotees of The Living Mountain, writes in the introduction to this Folio publication of the book:

Strang’s paintings are intensely dynamic, seethingly alive with stroke, dab, scratch and drip. Each of Strang’s seven paintings takes a phrase from The Living Mountain and dreams a response to it.

16th February 3 to 5pm. Exhibition Preview (free). Scottish Poetry Library

7pm, 17th February: Panel discussion (ticketed, 310, see link below) Scottish Poetry Library  and audience Q+A with Erlend Clouston (Nan Shepherd’s literary executor, Rose Strang, Merryn Glover (author of A House Called Askival, currently writing a book inspired by Nan Shepherd) and Kerri Andrews (author of A History of Women Walking, currently editing a volume of Nan’s letters). Chaired by Anna Fleming (author of Time on Rock).

Book your ticket here … https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/happy-130th-birthday-nan-shepherd-tickets-514890560527?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

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The Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton Close, Royal Mile, Edinburgh.

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response

17th to 23rd April. The Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh. The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response (in collaboration with The Limetree Gallery, Bristol).*

Exhibition of the original paintings commissioned by the Folio Society for their 2021 publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

*The series of paintings will be for sale and exclusively available from the Heriot Gallery during the one-week exhibition.

(Please contact the Heriot Gallery with any enquiries about the exhibition. art@heriotgallery.com).

2021-09-13

The Heriot Gallery, 20A Dundas Street, Edinburgh

Happy 130th Birthday Nan Shepherd!

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Author of The Living Mountain, Nan Shepherd, was born on the 11th February 1893. To celebrate her birthday, the Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, has organised an exhibition and panel discussion, all details below …

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response showcases new paintings by Rose Strang and goes on exhibition at the Scottish Poetry Library then the Heriot Gallery, Edinburgh, in 2023.

A response to one of Scotland’s best-loved classics of landscape literature, this series of paintings was commissioned by the Folio Society London for their 2021 publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

Robert MacFarlane, award-winning author of best-selling books The Lost Words and The Wild Places and one of the UK’s best-known devotees of The Living Mountain, writes in the introduction to this Folio publication of the book:

Strang’s paintings are intensely dynamic, seethingly alive with stroke, dab, scratch and drip. Each of Strang’s seven paintings takes a phrase from The Living Mountain and dreams a response to it.

16th February 3 to 5pm. Exhibition Preview (free). Scottish Poetry Library

7pm, 17th February: Panel discussion (ticketed, 310, see link below) Scottish Poetry Library  and audience Q+A with Erlend Clouson (Nan Shepherd’s literary executor, Rose Strang, Merryn Glover (author of A House Called Askival, currently writing a book inspired by Nan Shepherd) and Kerri Andrews (author of A History of Women Walking, currently editing a volume of Nan’s letters). Chaired by Anna Fleming (author of Time on Rock).

Book your ticket here … https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/happy-130th-birthday-nan-shepherd-tickets-514890560527?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

_MG_8258-HDR

The Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton Close, Royal Mile, Edinburgh.

The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response

17th to 23rd April. The Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh. The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response (in collaboration with The Limetree Gallery, Bristol).*

Exhibition of the original paintings commissioned by the Folio Society for their 2021 publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

*The series of paintings will be for sale and exclusively available from the Heriot Gallery during the one-week exhibition.

(Please contact the Heriot Gallery with any enquiries about the exhibition. art@heriotgallery.com).

2021-09-13

The Heriot Gallery, 20A Dundas Street, Edinburgh

“The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response”

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Coming up early next year are two exhibitions featuring the Living Mountain paintings, commissioned by The Folio Society to illustrate their 2021 publication of The Living Mountain, by Nan Shepherd.

As well as paintings, a couple of videos are in the works and I’m very excited about these! I’ve commissioned Atzi Muramatsu (a friend and collaborator since 2013) to create a new piece of music to accompany the videos, which will be released in late January/early February 2023.

Painting has taken a bit more of a back seat while everything gets organised, but happily dates and venues are now confirmed and the series will be on show next year, firstly at The Scottish Poetry Library then at The Heriot Gallery, all details below…

17th February to 31st March. The Scottish Poetry Library. The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response.

Exhibition of the original paintings included in the 2021 Folio Society publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

17th February 7pm. The Scottish Poetry Library. Panel discussion with Erlend Clouston (literary executor, the Nan Shepherd estate), Rose Strang Kerri Andrews (other guests tbc)

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The Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton Close (off the Royal Mile) Edinburgh.

17th to 23rd April. The Heriot Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh. The Living Mountain. Dreaming a Response.*

Exhibition of the original paintings included in the 2021 Folio Society publication of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.(in collaboration with The Limetree Gallery, Bristol).

*The series of paintings will be exclusively available from the Heriot Gallery during the one-week exhibition.

2021-09-13

The Heriot Gallery, 20A Dundas Street, Edinburgh