The late autumn tree-scape of November shifts as the glory of October fades and, one by one, the trees cast their colours and prepare for the storms of Winter. Now, damp grey skies press down then on the landscape and the evocative fruity scent of fallen leaves pervades the woods. Occasional shafts of sunlight cast a myriad of darker shadows on the ground as the earth waits for the approaching frosts. These shortening days make for a contemplative mood of painting.
But the longer nights have brought blessings, too; the skies here in Galloway are renowned for their dark unpolluted beauty, with stunning shows of stars and, recently, the illuminations of the aurora borealis; unless, of course, the clouds obscure, as they often do in here.Yet in the middle of October our skies cleared, and a Hunter's moon rose , casting incandescence across the fields and trees, forming eerie shadows across the garden. To the calls of our resident tawny owls , this magnificent lunar disc of unsettling size appeared to hang in the heavens, moving slowly as across a dark sea , studded with twinkling stars. The moonscape relief showed clearly in the light, with its shaded mare easily tricking the eye into believing they were spectral seas.
I am however cheered by having my work on show in several exhibitions this autumn. Firstly, it has been a privilege to have been part of the 'Wild Solway' exhibition at Caerlaverock. My two paintings 'Redwings' and 'Gulls, Carrick' both sold in the auction of the displayed work that was the purpose of the exhibition, with the proceeds of sales being shared between the hosts, the Wildfowl &Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Caerlaverock, and the organisers Dumfries and Galloway Fine Arts Society (DAGFAS). It has been so worthwhile to be part of the whole experience, organised to support two worthy causes. My thanks go to all the good people who supported the project, not forgetting the Stewartry Writers, whose poems and prose, also on display, resonated perfectly with the paintings.
The Gallery in Laurieston has an ongoing display of my paintings.
And more.....my work can also be found at two other DAGFAS exhibitions hosted by the Catstrand in New Galloway and the Samphire Gallery in Castle Douglas.
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