Wednesday 18 February 2015

A postcard to the Thistle

To open the project I proposed the idea of an art event at the newly opened Thistle Gallery in Glasgow's West End which was accepted and wholeheartedly supported by the owner Carol Dunbar.
The premise of the event was to paint 31 postcard size pieces in acrylic and soft pastel in a variety of styles and colours, from abstract to fairly representational.



Each piece selling at the very accessible price of £30 with £18 going to Macmillan Cancer Support.



The after the event display of the postcard pieces 

I have developed and published a flcikr site to display online those pieces available after the days event.

CLICK HERE for images of remaining postcard pieces.

To buy one of these remaining Wee Gems you can contact Carol at the gallery on  Tel 0141 334 3444 email EMAIL THE THISTLE   

The whys and wherefores

This new journey started started as a spark of an idea many years ago prior to me seriously taking up a brush and palette knife as an artist.
The strange fascination of the poetry of the Met Office shipping forecast started in childhood and a small transistor radio hidden my pillow.  The mysteries of highs and lows, the ever increasing Beaufort scale numbers from flat calm to might storms has continued lingered in my subconscious.
Above  all the strange mysterious names such North Utsire and German Bight hint and far off places of the unknown.

Why the Shipping Forecast as a vehicle to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support?  My involvement started with a previous project the "Wee Ones" a journey of the imagination around the coast of Britain.  During this year long project I went on my own journey of discovery and the sharing of stories, good and some times untimely tragic of how cancer affects us all and how its critical that no one should face this alone. I have always felt that the Artist's job was share their gift and for me this has many facets beyond painting.

Life is difficult enough at times and why should anyone face troubles alone.



What is the project about?  The shipping forecast has been an inspiration to poets, painters, photographers, but I wanted to do something a little different. I wish to record the 31 areas of the forecast as a journey on the sea.  I will travel into every Sea area by boat and ship, public and private, large and small as record and experience the essence of why for decades this served as a tool for sea goers to minimise the dangers of the open sea.

I intend to paint 31 24 x24 inch oil paintings one for each of the 31 areas sell them to raise funds for Macmillan. Each painting will retail at £500 of which 60% will be donated to the charity.