Marchmont Gallery Solo Show Preview is a Blast!

The preview gets under way

After a busy few months of painting, I had the opening of my solo show at Marchmont Gallery last Sunday. It was a fantastic afternoon and stayed busy throughout, with a number of people taking away paintings and prints. It was great to have so many people come along and I’d like to say a big “Thank You!” to all those who made it and to all at Marchmont Gallery for being great hosts!

Some of my paintings at Marchmont Gallery

I’ll be topping up the show over the coming weeks, but had to take a week off to recover from the inevitable post-show cold that kept me in bed for days afterwards. I have been thinking about what’s to come though and can’t wait to get back to the easel on Monday.

A wall of work

On the painting front, I’ve been really enjoying using acrylics on larger-scale plywood panels and have prepared 2 new ones to get started on. As is the case with these, I often like to use the golden ratio to determine picture dimensions and sometimes compositional elements too; here’s a recent example below, but there are others in the Marchmont show.

St Monans, Acrylic on panel 98 x 60.5cm

I am hoping to get away soon in my campervan to explore some new areas I haven’t painted before. Possibly a trip to Orkney or even further afield. The Faroe Islands are top of my list for etching inspiration and I can see a lot of printmaking happening over the summer months if I make it there.

At the framers before the show

If you get along to the show, do get in touch and let me know your thoughts. It’s always great to get any kind of feedback!

From Edinburgh (and Perth!) to The Moon

It’s been a very productive start to 2020 and I have two new shows coming up this month. There’s my solo show From Edinburgh To The Moon at Marchmont Gallery, which previews on Sunday 16th Feb. And I’ll also be taking part in a printmaking show at Frames Gallery, opening this Friday. All details below …

The Old Town (Crescent Moon) will be on Show at Marchmont Gallery

From Edinburgh to The Moon

I’m currently putting the finishing touches to the last few paintings that will be included in my solo show at Marchmont Gallery and titled From Edinburgh To The Moon. It’ll be a selection of recent mixed-media paintings (including these below) of Edinburgh and Scottish coastal scenes, as well as some hand-made etchings and prints. I will have at least 25 original pieces large and small hanging and can’t wait to see how they look as a collection. You are most welcome to come along to the opening on the 16th (1-4pm) where I’ll be happy to chat about my work and answer any questions. There will also be drinks and nibbles!

Solo Exhibition – Marchmont Gallery, Edinburgh (Preview 16 Feb 1-4pm, all welcome!)
Runs until 22 March.

Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop at Frames Gallery

This Friday 7th marks the opening of the Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop exhibition at the lovely Frames Gallery in Perth. The preview is from 6-8pm and there will be around 80 works including a great variety of printmaking techniques and a huge array of subject matter produced by my talented colleagues at the workshop in Dunfermline. I have the following 4 pieces in the show and, altogether, it looks like a fantastic exhibition of work. So go along if you’re in the Perth area and we’ll maybe see you on Friday.

Frames Gallery, Perth (Preview 6-8pm, all welcome!)
Runs until 29 February.

My Shop Is Now Open!

Towards Arthurs Seat

Only a couple of weeks left until Christmas! But that’s time enough to buy one of my very limited edition prints and etchings for someone special (including yourself!).

The Old Town, Edinburgh

There’s 12 pictures to chose from including these 4, some moon etchings and a few others. All details can be found here at Big Cartel.

Dean Village Sunset

Buy something unique and help support my work at the same time! If you order straight away there should be plenty time to get it before Christmas. But sooner is always better!

Ramsay Gardens from The Castle

Happy Christmas!

Tobermory Whisky, Edinburgh Art Fair and the UK’s 1st Ever Fine Art Crawl

Great news! Tobermory Distillery have invited me to exhibit at their inaugural Edinburgh Art Fair stand and to have my own pop-up gallery on the UK’s 1st ever Fine Art Pub Crawl. My work will be on display at Usquabae Whisky Bar, 2 Hope Street, Edinburgh from this Friday 22 November.

I love whisky and Tobermory has a special place on my palate (pardon the pun!). It was the first whisky I ever bought myself on a visit to the distillery several years ago. I also love that Tobermory is officially know as the Artisan Distiller, so it’s a fitting partnership indeed!

Here’s a link to the article in the Edinburgh Reporter

If you happen to be looking for a new piece of original fine art to treat yourself or someone else to this Christmas, go along to the Edinburgh Art Fair this weekend, or visit one of the pubs included on the Fine Art Crawl. And don’t forget to try the 12 Year Old Tobermory while you’re there!

Some giclee prints of selected works and a few etchings are also available at my Big Cartel shop. Slange!

Gallery Heinzel Winter Show

I have these two large pictures for sale at Gallery Heinzel’s upcoming Winter Show. Opens on the 9th Nov and runs until March 2020.

Three Views of The Bass Rock

Three Views of The Bass Rock
Oil and gold leaf on gesso-primed hand-made paper
(126x52cm framed)

The above painting has been over a year in the making. It glows and looks great in this frame with non-reflect art glass. The tiniest touch of gold leaf adds a very subtle beam and sparkle to each of the lighthouses. I’d liked to have kept this one for myself, but needs must!

Non-reflective glass allows more light and colour to bounce back from the picture rather than off the glass. This also means there’s no annoying reflections that prevent you seeing the picture properly. It’s very expensive but well worth the money and I’ll be using it more from now on.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon
Etching & Aquatint
(65x55cm image size)

This Harvest Moon etching is the 3rd variation I’ve made from a single copper plate. This edition is the result of a seemingly never-ending series of painful and time consuming trials with various ink colours (each pigment having its own peculiarities which can make or break a picture). I’m finally happy with this combination. Fellow printmakers have asked how I got the blackest ink and palest orange together without a gap or mixing the two. The simple answer is with great difficulty, as both colours are wiped onto (and off) the plate together for a single pressing. For every successful print two others went in the bin. This is by far the most difficult print I’ve ever made!

This is number 9/20 and is framed and available at the gallery, but there are more unframed copies available. I also have some Super Moons and only a very few Blue Moons left for sale. Contact Gallery Heinzel or myself directly if interested.

The show opens with a preview between 11-2pm at Gallery Heinzel this coming Saturday.

St Columbas Art Friends Charity Exhibition

Blue Moon
Etching and Aquitint
Blue Moon

I have these 2 pictures on show and for sale at the annual St Columbas Hospice charity exhibition in Edinburgh this weekend, which officially opens tomorrow with a drinks reception between 6-8pm. It’s a great cause, with at least 50% of all sales revenue going to help with the wonderful palliative care work they do there.

Dean Village iv

It’s on all weekend and there’s always lots of good art to see and buy. Maybe see you there.

Frames Gallery 40th Anniversary Show … last few days!

Ramsay Garden Edinburgh Castle Esplanade mixed media (18x60cm image size)

Ramsay Garden from Edinburgh Castle Esplanade is available for sale at Frames Gallery in Perth in their 40th Anniversary Show. It’s on until the 19th Oct so still time to see more than 70 works by as many artists, who have shown with Hugh over the decades. It’s a lovely exhibition of work and well worth seeing if you’re in the Perth area.

arTay and Eion Stewart Fine Art shows this week

4 of my pictures at arTay

This week I have two exciting new shows coming up where some of my work will be available for sale. Firstly, there’s arTay, the annual mixed show that takes place during Perth Festival of The Arts. It opens this Friday 17th May in the marquee right next to Perth Concert Hall, where Jools Holland will be performing later in the evening. I have four pieces in the show and I always look forward to the arTay Party every year on Friday night. Over eighty artists take part each year and this will be my 5th time there. Wednesday is hanging day, where many of the artists help out and it’s always great to catch up with friends and see the whole thing come together too. Go along for a glass of wine and to see over 300 artworks on Friday eve 6-7.30pm if you’re in the Perth area.

Blue Moon

The next show opens at Eion Stewart Fine Art in Stonehaven the following day (Sat 18th May). This exhibition is called The Printmakers, where I’ll be showing several prints including three variations of my full moon etching, along with about ten others. Four fellow printmakers will be taking part in this show too and it looks to be a very interesting and varied selection of works all in all.

The North Face, Ben Nevis (Carmine)

New Work, New Gallery and More News …

The year has only just begun but 2019 has proved to be pretty busy for me already. The recent Architectural Landscape show at Fidra Fine Art saw some of my work heading off to new homes and then I spent the remainder of February visiting lots of different galleries and delivering new paintings and etchings to some of them too. Details below …

Three Studies of The Bass Rock, oil and gold leaf (126x52cm framed)

But first, take a look at what’s currently on my easel. It has taken over a year on and off to get it finished with lots of thinly painted glazes, drying time in between and fine tuning. Then more glazes … etc etc! But all it needs now is my signature. Gold leaf has been used extremely sparingly, but there’s just enough to provide the subtlest suggestion of a beam of light coming from each of the lighthouses when viewed at a certain angle. If you are interested in owning this oil painting then please feel free to get in touch via the contact page or email me at:
cliveramage@gmail.com

Three Studies of the Bass Rock (detail left)

Three Studies of the Bass Rock (detail middle)

Three Studies of the Bass Rock (detail right)

February turned out to be a great month of sales. I was particularly happy to hear from Marchmont Gallery that 3 of my differently coloured moon etchings had been bought by one client to be hung alongside each other. That made my day as they were bought only a couple of days after being dropped off and it was the first time I’ve had all 3 moon variations for sale at the same time. (If you happen to be the new owner and read this then I’d love a photo of them on your wall if possible – and thank you for buying them too, of course!).

Towards Arthur’s Seat (34x25cm)

I also recently begun to sell limited-edition, signed Giclee prints with Aquila Gallery in Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh. They have the above and following 2 pictures for sale at the moment, but more will follow soon. Marchmont Gallery also have these pictures and I’ll be dropping off more moon etchings there as soon as they are all hot off the press and dry (a week or 2 from now).

The Old Town, Edinburgh (65x50cm)

Dean Village, Edinburgh  (65x50cm)

Lastly, Morningside Gallery, also in Edinburgh, have a selection of my latest acrylic paintings for sale, including a recent one of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, along with some East Neuk of Fife and Edinburgh pictures. Click the link to see what’s available there.

That’s all my news for now.

I’m about to start on a new series of works and will keep you updated here as things take shape. I’ll also be contacting a number of galleries who’s collections and artists I’ve admired for a while, and hopefully I’ll have work available in some of them soon too. Watch this space!

Last Chance …

The Bell Rock (Snow)

There’s just a few more days to visit the Architectural Landscape show at Fidra Fine Art in Gullane, East Lothian. It’s a lovely show featuring works by George Birrell, Ann Cowan, Amy Dennis, Ann Oram & Allan Robertson and myself, each of us with 6 or more new paintings included.

Fidra Fine Art is open Tues-Sat 11-5, Sun 12-4 (closed Mon) and the show ends this Sunday 24th February.

Bell Rock (Dusk)