I’m thrilled to be able to share this latest collection of painted landscapes from my first solo painting trip. Though I knew I would be inspired, I wasn’t expecting to come back from Scotland with quite so many sketches, ideas, writings and paintings, and to have a whole new vision for where I wanted to go with my art. It was a discovery into the landscape, but also a discovery into my creative journey.
The beautiful, quaint and colourful city of Edinburgh was the perfect base and inspired me like no other city has. Yet the Highlands took over me in a way that almost surpassed my experience in Patagonia. It was a brief trip, and just a tiny glimpse into the nature and splendor of this diverse country tucked up in the north of the UK. But it was more than enough.
The Highlands and Heather collection has reached its own conclusion, for now at least. And I’m delighted with the collection of paintings I’ve created. They are almost exclusively 10 x 15 cm canvas boards: so small they can fit in your hand! But their small size enabled me to capture the essence of the places without getting lost in wide vistas, needing to make up detail for vast empty corners. I didn’t get lost in the execution of the paintings, like I have in the past, struggling to make it to the end of a piece. But I did get lost in the experience of painting them. I wanted to capture the changing light, dramatic skies, and of course the many faces and stories of Scotland’s mountain peaks. I hope I have done that, and I hope these paintings will inspire more, as well as inspire others to travel, to chase those solo trips and dreams of exploring natural open spaces. All of these paintings are available in my Etsy shop, as well as some fine art prints and downloadable travel-inspired goodies!
The story behind Heather & Highlands paintings
I found beauty in these quiet, open, seemingly empty spaces that I hadn’t found before. The landscapes I painted no longer needed the wildlife, as they took on a life of their own.
Monet taught me the dynamics of light, and how the subtlest shift of hues can transform the landscape from quiet contemplation to brooding, moody, icy. Caspar David Freidrich taught me to love the vast openness of the lonely landscape. And taught me how to use the elements to craft a deeper meaning. Then there’s Landseer, Kyffin Williams and Turner – the great British artists who cemented my love of my home country, inspiring me to pursue my travels closer to home.
Rugged, legendary Scotland was the perfect place to start.
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