With an opportunity to meet the artists on Saturday 12th September, the exhibition offers a reminder of the simplistic beauty of the world and a lesson into thinking deeper about the environment. Artists Rosanne Barr, Emma S. Davis, Jane Hunter and Victoria Wylie will be present between 1-3pm, to discuss the meaning behind these works. 

Made up of various shapes and shades of colour, the beauty of the Scottish landscapes proves a continued source of inspiration for many artists.   

Offering alternative and evocative interpretations of the landscape through the use of colour, expressive brushwork, simplified forms and textural surfaces, the artists showcase that at the heart of their work is their connection and respect for the natural world.

Sunset with You, Camusdarach by Emma Davis (Image: Supplied)

Presenting a moment to pause and reconnect, their work moves away from the physical representation of a place, and instead communicates an emotional description of its colours.  

Many of the works in this latest collection by Glasgow-based artist Rosanne Barr were created after returning from her annual summer trip to Orkney, with the vast skies and ever-changing colours across the sea never failing to inspire her.

Her palette is bold, yet calm and warm; they are not postcard views, but experienced locations.  You feel her understanding of the subjects, not just their physical appearance, but the atmosphere. “All my paintings come from experimenting, the canvas becomes the palette and the colours blend and emerge as I sweep across the canvas! I have a deep love for sunset colours and love when they are paired with the aqua / duck egg hues to create a relaxing and serene feel”.

Working from memory and her imagination, Rosanne uses a variety of tools from rags, sandpaper and even a shower squeegee alongside more conventional brushes and palette knives.

Often sketching outdoors on trips around Scotland, Emma S Davis is a painter based near Glasgow whose work is rooted in a deep emotional appreciation for the beauty of Scotland and her sense of pride to call this country home.

Immersed in the world of drawing and paintings for as long as she can remember, she uses colours intuitively and emotionally to convey the feeling and experience of still-life and the Scottish landscapes, particularly Camusdarach, Tighnabruich and North Berwick.

“I want the colour to create an emotion connection with the viewer, to evoke a feeling or memory of a place, rather than simply tell them what that place looks like”. Her unique technique of weaving of paint, light, colour and mood onto textured surfaces result in a highly personal and often thought-provoking interpretation of special places or moments.

Eye Catching Array by Roseanne Barr (Image: Supplied)

For Isle of Bute based abstract artist Jane Hunter, nature is at the heart of her colour choices and equally important for her is the emotional representation of these colours.

Exploring, questioning and speaking intimately of her connection to the landscape, Jane creates pieces that function as a visual record of experience and emotion, inviting viewers to consider their own relationship with nature and its surroundings.

With a background in textile design, working with wool, cloth and stitch to produce interpretations of topographical and geological maps, her paintings have taken a similar role by mapping experience, observation and emotion.

Eleven new paintings feature in this latest collection from Jane, the first available to purchase since Spring this year. She explores subtle details, the changing shapes of the landscape and the movement of water coupled with colours, sounds and light she experiences, creating an image she then translates to the canvas. 

Victoria Wylie, is best known for her contemporary abstract landscape paintings capturing the energy and atmosphere of the Scottish wilderness through bold striking colour and playful mark-making. Working from her home studio on Angus, she began her career in Constructed Textiles before completing a Masters in Fine Art.

Interpreting the atmosphere and memory of the landscape, rather than simply the representation of it, she seeks inspiration from her outdoor excursions.

“I’m interested in the colours I experience in the landscape, but I’m not trying to reproduce them exactly – I want to capture how a place makes me feel. The world can feel like a very heavy place at times, and I think we need art and nature to lift us. I’m drawn to colour that can evoke joy, calm, optimism and a sense of possibility”. 

She balances control with spontaneity, experimenting with textures, opacity, patterns and colour using processes of layering, scraping distressing and re-painting, evoking both a sense of calm and the fleeting intensity of stormy skies or golden Scottish fields.

Last of the Harvest by Victoria Wylie (Image: Supplied)

We see her push further towards abstraction in this latest collection, stripping away more of the recognisable elements of the landscape and letting colour, mark-making and emotion be the focus. Her connection to, and respect for, the natural world is central to every mark she makes, a connection she hopes to share with viewers through her work.

Together Rosanne, Emma, Jane and Victoria’s work reflects a shared appreciation and celebration for the Scottish landscape and a reminder of the beauty in the colours of the natural world, while inviting viewers to consider their relationship and connection to both places and moments in time.

This exhibition is more than an art show, it is a thought-provoking map of emotion, connection imprinted in colour.   

Exhibition Opens: Saturday 12th September, Meet the Artist’s 1-3pm

Exhibition Dates: 12th September – 10th October

Venue: The Glasgow Gallery, 182 Bath Street, G2 4HG

Website: www.glasgowgallery.co.uk

 

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5:30pm

Saturday 10:30am – 4:30pm