Celebration of the natural world in Scottish art exhibition
With over 50 paintings between them, the painting styles of Julian Mason and Georgina McMaster are quite different but both approach their work with sensitive attention to detail and a unique engagement with the subjects they are painting.
Striking images of animals, birds and insects
A much collected Scottish artist, Georgina McMaster graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2002 with a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication, specialising in drawing and painting. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the David Cargill Award at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (RGI) in 2008.
Georgina’s paintings are instantly recognisable and she has a large and loyal following around the world. Her striking paintings of animals, birds and insects have real presence, with each creature standing forth against a plain white or linen background, often making direct eye contact with the viewer.
The exhibition contains a number of bumblebee paintings, subject matter that Georgina has been drawn to for a long time. Living in the Scottish countryside, Georgina has become increasingly aware of the role that the humble bumblebee plays within our larger ecosystem. Through close observation and detailed brushwork, Georgina’s paintings capture the soft texture of the bees’ distinctive black and yellow bodies, and of course the many flowers they are attracted to.
Painting Scottish skies which inspire him the most
Julian Mason trained at the Falmouth School of Art and he has exhibited widely ever since. Julian has visited Scotland since he was a child and as a full-time painter he now spends weeks away at a time, painting the places that inspire him most; Glen Coe and Glen Etive, Glenfinnan, Arisaig, Skye, and Iona. As a landscape artist who prefers to paint en plein air, Julian ventures out in all weathers, working in oils for their vibrancy, pliability and resilience in damp, drizzle, ice and snow.
The lockdowns of the last year-and-a-half have impacted artists differently and for Julian the travel restrictions were particularly problematic. Forced to paint vases of flowers on his garden table for months, he was delighted when he was able to start visiting all of his favourite painting spots in Scotland again. These paintings are the result!
Along with the paintings in this exhibition you’ll find Ordnance Survey co-ordinates, notes about the weather that day and Julian’s frustrated attempts to dislodge midges from their favourite treat – blue oil paint! Painting outdoors in Scotland requires a lot of special kit and we will have some of it in the gallery over the opening weekend, along with a selection of photographs and Julian’s working oil sketches.
• Julian Mason will be in the gallery on Saturday, October 16, from 1-3pm to answer any questions you might have about particular paintings. The gallery opens at 10am and we look forward to seeing you in person there.
• There will be an Online Private View with a 3D exhibition tour at 6pm on Friday, October 15. For access to the virtual private view, please join our mailing list: https://www.morningsidegallery.co.uk/mailing-list/
To request a catalogue or for more information please get in touch athttps://www.morningsidegallery.co.uk/.
About Morningside Gallery
Buying and collecting art should be an exciting and rewarding experience and the team at Morningside Gallery pride themselves on providing a relaxed gallery environment. They always encourage browsing and taking time to find the right work of art, whether this process takes minutes, months, or years. Run by a small, enthusiastic and committed team, the gallery works closely with all of the artists they represent and the staff like nothing more than helping to create the right match between client and painting.
Morningside Gallery’s website and online presence has always been a central part of the way they promote art. The gallery carries over 1,000 artworks at any one time and its website can be used as an online catalogue of these works. The extensive website features all of the artwork and includes full details, along with views of artworks framed and on a wall for scale. You’ll find separate sections for original framed paintings, sculpture and ceramics and a wide range of small, unframed original paintings, all priced at £500 and under. With new paintings and sculptures arriving weekly, clients appreciate the regular updates on the website’s new paintings page.
While a particular exhibition is running in the gallery, clients can still come in, phone or email about any of the other artworks and staff can either show them the piece in person or via images. Clients can either pop in to view any artwork they have seen on the website or arrange for a private out of hours appointment to view a larger number of works. The gallery also offers a home approval service that allows clients to try before they buy. For clients who live further afield they offer a free room visualisation service which allows clients to see what a painting will look like in a particular space using photographs of their home.
Morningside Gallery offers a number of services, all of which make buying art easier. They are delighted to offer Own Art, which allows you to pay for artworks in ten interest free instalments, and take it home immediately. There are also in house payment plans to suit individual requirements. All artworks can be delivered locally, nationally and internationally using reliable art couriers and shipping services.
In the run-up to Christmas, the gallery is awash with colour and variety. They have worked especially hard on building their collection of sculpture and ceramics this year and you’ll find the full collection on their website. Their annual Small Paintings show opens in January and it is always a real treat, for clients and staff alike, with many miniature masterpieces to collect from the gallery’s regular and new artists. You can be kept up with regular news via their mailing list and by following them on social media.