Past Art Exhibitions 05
Brodie Nairn, Fin Macrae and Wendy Sutherland|Vic Rose
Brodie Nairn, Fin Macrae and Wendy Sutherland - POINT OF BALANCE
Timespan's last exhibition of the 2005 season is exceptional. POINT OF BALANCE comprises the work of three local artists who appear to be on exactly the same wavelength - so much so that for a nano second one could almost be forgiven for thinking the collection was the product of a single artist. On the other hand, a prodigious talent in equal measure for painting, photography and glass work is unlikely to be visited on one individual.
It was Brodie Nairn, now based in Tain where he has established his studio for contemporary glass, who last year conceived the idea of a joint show with photographer Fin Macrae, also from Tain and Wendy Sutherland the painter from Brora. "We'd all known each other a while and respect each others work" he says. "Wendy and I felt intuitively the same about sun, sea and landscape while Fin had been sitting on an egg of an idea for some time that matched our thinking. We found we had a common goal so it all came together very naturally."
In the early stages there was very little collaboration. Each worked quite independently on the project and so when they finally met mid term they must have been astonished at their collective synergy. The final exhibition is predominantly studies in white, black and blue with just a human thread of colour in the body photographs.
Wendy Sutherland, Master of Fine Art from Edinburgh College of Art and recipient of the Queen's Anniversary Award (among others) never fails to enthral with her paintings. Ben Uarie 1 and Ben Uarie 11 are breathtaking glimpses of a moment in time, that nevertheless seem to represent unchanging landscapes. Hempriggs Wood 1 - V1 are layered monochrome paintings on glass and behind glass - beautiful statements about the life of, and the love for trees. This wintry theme continues on through the starkness of Tree Lines and Webs (Tarbet Loch Fyneside) which somehow are actually very quiet images despite the fact they have about them, the touch of a nightmare road map. And then as if all in the same breath, her painting Calm Beneath becomes an extension of the same thought, this time an explosion of blue, not black.
From all this, Brodie Nairn drew some inspiration in the simplicity of his Black & White Tear and Black Fractured Ice (1 & 11). These are immaculately crafted objects that simultaneously compel and forbid one to reach out and touch. Brodie's success with glass is the product of ten years of conscientious training with master glass makers and designers across Europe and the USA, and three years as technical manager with the acclaimed Northlands Glass in Caithness. This has enabled him to make reality his stunning designs - impossible without that strong core of knowledge and skill. Blue Sky and Ying Yang and Red Sky are solid glass pods, blown with fabulous intensity and swirl and then, once cool, cut sharply (with a diamond saw apparently) into open ended sculptures of exceptional beauty.
Brodie's glass work explores tension and balance. He contrasts outer surfaces with inner shapes, and sensual curves with hard edges. Fin Macrae does something very similar with his camera in Balance & Tension Series. Running alongside the glass pods are the photographed landscapes of a very feminine body, exquisitely shaped, anatomically identified but anonymous for all that. The point is to just marvel at the form and texture and then, by the way and by chance, take in the shadows and lines of the sand dunes in California (Sea & Desert Series) and make your own connections. Fin has a wonderful eye for detail and must always be taking pictures in his mind whether the camera is to hand or not. His biography descrbes him as "self taught" but it is hard to imagine anyone being taught how to look at the world and capture a particular angle or moment that is unique to one pair of eyes. we quite simply do not all see the same thing and it takes a sensitive photographer to remind us of the detail about us that we miss, as we rush on by. Two photographs - Warning Sign and Snow Fence are stark but not bleak observations of our local meteorology which continues into another glorious image Harbour. Helmsdale, of course.
This is a wonderful exhibition. Try not to miss it. POINT OF BALANCE will run until the end of September.
www.brodienairn.com
www.finmacrae.com
www.wendysutherland.com
Vic Rose
Vic was educated at Milne's High School, Fochabers, Morayshire and then went on to study at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen. He taught art for two years in Aberdeenshire and then moved to Brora, Sutherland in 1962. Vic taught until retirement, in various Sutherland Schools as schools were downgraded. A founder member of East Sutherland Art Society and contributor to annual summer exhibitions, he has exhibited locally and throughout the Highlands for many years and has paintings in private collections throughout Britain and abroad.
Since his retirement he has created a studio where he paints, makes constructions and does pottery. His pottery is mostly earthenware. Vic enjoys digging his own clay and processing it to produce some of his pieces from start to finish, usually slipware. His inspiration for pottery comes from birds, flowers and historical pottery eg. Victorian, Mayan, Chinese and Japanese.
Vic paints in different mediums: water colour, oil and most recently acrylic. His constructions are made from recycled materials.
Taking his inspiration from the scenic Sutherland coastal plains and hills, trees, buildings and sea Vic likes to change his style of painting to suit the mood suggested by the things he sees.
