Greetings from Beijing
Many apologises for ‘going underground’ in my Edinburgh studio this long cold winter of 2013..I have been painting hard, completing a series of 4 large oils paintings…. I am now free to re-join civilised society! In fact, I am very much overground, perched 15 floors up in a high rise apartment just off the 3rd Ring Road. I am here in China for a couple of weeks to work with writer & curator Iona Whittaker and translator and art journalist Liang Shuhan for my forthcoming publication & exhibition ‘Walk Through Resonant Landscape’ at the Royal Scottish Academy later this year.I met with both of them during my first visit to Beijing in 2010, and subsequently worked with Iona for the Concrete Hour in Where Where Art Space in Caochanghi in 2011 during my residency at the Red Gate Gallery.
Discussing the Scottish ink paintings with Xun Xiao & Shuhan in Haiquio, North Beijing.
Last week,I brought over a large roll of my new ink & wash painting over here from Edinburgh courtesy of Emirates so they can be transformed under the hands of scroll maker Xun Xiao. The tricky task will be getting them back to Scotland safely in their re-incarnated scroll form.All these works will be finally revealed in my 2 venue solo show in the Finlay room at the RSA, Edinburgh and in the Kelly Gallery, Royal Glasgow Institute on Douglas Street in Glasgow at the end of August this year. I will publish events relating to that in my next news bulletin.
The final stage of ‘Walk with Me’, a pastel wall drawing 5mX3m for the Margaret Kerr Unit, Completed Feb 2013
To track back a little, I finally completed a mural drawing for the new palliative care unit at Borders General Hospital in Melrose. It was great privilege to be selected for this commission and I hope it gives many people pleasure. This mural is located in the entrance vestibule and can be seen from both inside and outside the hospital.
Last Month was very happy to be included in my first showing of work in Australia- a survey show of contemporary drawing ‘Marked- Drawing Now’ at Cessnock regional Gallery .
Allotment Art
Monsieur Soutine’s Alottment. Drypoint etching. Ceret/Glasgow
I have recently completed a set of new drypoint etchings for The Compass Gallery in Glasgow, based on allotment sketches made in Céret in March, and on a wet Sunday in my brother-in law’s allotment in Glasgow! This is for their forthcoming group exhibition and celebrations of all things growing in ‘ Still Spaces- The Allotment Project’, due to open on May 2nd.
Two of these prints are also available for sale from the Scottish Contemporary editions stand 33 at the London Print Fair this weekend 25th -28th April at the Royal Academy of the Arts.
Aaaabseiling the Forth Rail Bridge
I am proud to have become a new trustee for Art in Healthcare . Apart from attending meetings and being generally supportive of this terrific charity, they have somehow managed to persuade me to join their fundraising team for an abseiling event off the Forth Rail Bridge on May 19th. Many of you have already generously sponsored me in this crazy quest and we at AiH are super grateful… but just in case you haven’t, just click here for all the details. I promise to post photos of this daring event asap!
Oil Painting Weekend
On June 8th & 9th i will be teaching an oil painting weekend at Gracefield Art Centre in Dumfries . This workshop will be taking inspiration from the work of Joan Eardly, who’s work will be on show at Gracefield Art Centre at the time. If you download the Summer Programme, all booking details are within. Places are limited… I promise any future mono-printing courses will be posted as soon as i have confirmed dates.
PS….
Here is a chance to buy a postcard sized original Kate Downie, (or original work by many other terrific artists) and support The Rock Trust at the same time .
