The Hour Brightens…

‘Land & Sea’ at Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, East Lothian | 27 Jan to 3 Mar 2024 | Three Artist show with Kirstie Behrens and John McClenaghen

Throughout 2023 I painted seascapes or landscapes inspire by moments in East Lothian, but you’d struggle to recognise landmarks or gain a geographical hook. I wasn’t attempting to create an accurate representation of a beach or a hill; instead I tried to capture the fleeting emotions you or I feel when walking through the varied landscapes. Happiness. Sadness. Coldness. Warmth. Walking with Friends. Walking Alone. Embracing life. Escaping life. A painting diary.

As always, I tried to capture these emotions through painting rapidly, sanding away, splattering paint, scrawling personal notes as a diary of what was thought or playing through the headphones, the jumbled words, stolen lyrics forming the titles of the work. Spilling guts onto a canvas, working the paintings until they almost collapsed.

There Will Be Fireworks were constantly on my headphones as I painted.  Sincere thanks to them for allowing me to unashamedly steal Nicky’s words for the titles and context.

 

  • A Nameless Autumn Day (North Berwick)

    I am the half-light on the bay

    I am a nameless autumn day

    I am a song that’s never sung

    I am a door slammed shut

    (Dream Song)

  • Make The Sun Come Up For Me (Longniddry)

    Grab my coat, leave my drink

    Take me home, don’t let me think

    I am tired of make believe

    Make the sun come up for me

    (So Long, Sundown)

  • Carried on the Cold, Wild Wind (Gullane)

    And carried on the cold, wild, wind

    Lingering in March

    Steadied hand on steady glass

    A toast to absent friends

    (Ash Wednesday)

  • This Weather's Getting Old (Gullane)

    This weather’s getting old

    And Tinseltown is grey

    And work, it gets me nowhere

    I need a holiday

    (No Christmas Bells)

  • So Long, Sundown (Aberlady)

    So long, sundown

    Time to turn this thing around

    All the friends I’ve ever known

    All like summer swifts have flown

    (So Long, Sundown)

  • The Hour Brightens (Longniddry)

    A clock, a candle

    The moon is finished grieving

    The Hour Brightens

    (The Hour Brightens)

  • Your Christmas? (Aberlady)

  • Marsh (Aberlady)

  • It's Been Raining Since September (Aberlady)

  • New Year Walk, Longniddry Bents

  • Winter Fields and Moon (Towards North Berwick)

  • Winter Storm (Gullane Bay)

  • Gullane Bay

  • Wave, North Berwick

  • Winter Haar, Aberlady