aberdeen artist – Clive Ramage Art

Aberdeen Art Gallery – My Prints On Show!

I am thrilled to share the fantastic news that 2 of the prints I produced for Aberdeen Art Galleries and Museums (AAGM) in 2023 are now on show in the city’s public art gallery.

The works were created as part of a £2500 ‘Micro-commission’ award I received from Aberdeen Art Galleries and Museums (and supported by Friends of Aberdeen Art Gallery).

They reflect my own ‘lived experience’ of Aberdeen, the city I have called home since 2021. I chose the themes (and titles) of Disintegration, Transformation and Anticipation, with each print created using a different print-making technique; namely etching, screen printing and digital and photographic methods.

The 2 pieces can be seen on the first floor as part of the View of Aberdeen exhibition, which runs until 2028. The exhibition shares locals’ written personal views of the city (positive and negative) alongside artworks and objects that have inspired them.

*Transformation* (screen print with chine collé) 2023 © Clive Ramage

My own pieces, Transformation and Anticipation (above and below), challenge current negative perceptions on the future of Aberdeen city centre, specifically focussing on the rebirth of Union Terrace Gardens and the demolition of Aberdeen Market. They highlight how the disintegration of one thing can lead to the creation of something new and positive in its place.

*Anticipation* (4 colour screen print) 2023 © Clive Ramage

Creating the works was a real challenge, as I wanted to experiment with some new techniques and ideas that were outside of my usual art practice. On top of that, I was also having to produce new paintings for 2 separate solo shows, and everything (including around 40 paintings) needed to be completed by the June deadline for the commission. So the first 6 months of 2023 was an exceptionally busy, but hugely productive and rewarding year for me.

Presenting my Micro-commission at Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Read more about the whole process of my application for the Micro-commission and how I went about creating the works on AAGM website.

The third print in the series is Disintegration (see below) and is now available for sale at my online Shop.

*Disintegration* (screen print with chine collé) 2023 © Clive Ramage

If you would like to own one or the complete set of these 3 limited-edition, original handmade prints, then please get in touch at cliveramage@gmail.com or via the contact page.

Frames Gallery Solo Show – Invitation to the Private View (3 March 2023 6-8pm)

I am delighted to announce that my first solo show with Frames Gallery in Perth opens in less than a week and will run until 25th March! I have been exhibiting regularly with the gallery since the very earliest days of my artistic adventures, and working with Hugh and his team has always been a great pleasure.

I hope this diverse collection of over 40 paintings and original prints will not only demonstrate my development as a painter and printmaker over the past 15 years, but will also be something of a visual feast. However, that’ll be for you to decide!

Come along and enjoy a glass of wine at the private view this Friday 3rd March 6-8pm at Frames Gallery. It would be great to see you there!

Here is just a little taster of what will be on show …

Glitter Moons – Yellow, Blue & Red, etching and screensprint

The North Face, Ben Nevis, etching and aquatint

The Old Town, Edinburgh (Twilight), mixed media over etching

Towards Arthur’s Seat & South Queensferry, mixed media over etching

Click here for the whole exhibition and picture details!

Blue Moon SOLD OUT!

My Blue Moon numbered edition has now SOLD OUT!!

I will have a few artist proofs available to buy soon and they can be reserved by contacting me directly. Click here to reserve yours now!

However, the first and original Super Moon is still available to buy here!

And, if you’re quick, you still have time to grab one before Christmas!
Better still, you can get 25% off the usual price using discount code BLACKFRIDAY

… but only until tomorrow at 11.55pm!

And there’s 25% OFF all my other prints too!

Click here for a bargain!

Studio News

I thought I’d post a few pictures from my new studio here in Aberdeen. I’ve been working up here for a few months now and have really enjoyed getting back into painting with oils. Having my own studio again is wonderfully liberating, as I can work much more freely and splash the paint and thinners around without worrying about getting it all over my furniture at home! It’s also great to have all my work materials out of the house and to be able to find everything I need within arm’s reach.

I also became a member of the very highly regarded Peacock Print Studio earlier this year. Working there has been a real eye opener on many levels, and having the entire space to myself (thanks to Covid!) has felt like quite a privilege. But I’ll dedicate a post to all of that at a later date.

So, in the meantime, here are a few pictures of things I’ve been working on recently at my studio in Eagle House.

This first one (above) is an oil painting of Rattray Head Lighthouse, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh. Some of the pebbles in the foreground were carefully painted while others were literally lashed onto the canvas using a liner brush with a very runny mixture of oil paint and thinner.

This second Rattray Head picture is a larger version I decided to do after feeling quite happy with the first. Both need further fine tuning though. The lighthouse painting below it will be built up in painstakingly slow glazes to convey an altogether different mood using a different technique.

The following 5 pictures are the products of my end-of-the-day palate scrapings (as I like to call them). When I’m finished working on the main picture each day, I basically smear together all the colours left on my palate and add a little oil painting medium to produce what Whistler would call his ‘soup’. He would apply this liquid paint in streaks across his canvases to produce many of his nocturne paintings. This painterly ‘soup’ often produces the loveliest of greys which I then use as the ground for future paintings. These sky and beach pictures were done this past week from imagination and I’ve yet to decide how to finish them off.

The above picture is a quick sketch I did this week of beautiful Bennachie. I’ll work it up into a finished painting, but quite like the dreamy quality of it as it is. And below is another of Rattray Head from a different angle and then there’s Catterline, one of my favourite places to paint and to spend time.

So that’s what I’ve been doing this past week or two. Every week I intend to start a whole new batch of pictures and finish at least some from the previous weeks, and continue on in this vein for many years to come. So as long as I can keep my studio (and lungs and head!) free of turpentine fumes, I’ll also try to keep posting regular updates on what I’ve been working on and also where the work will be available to see and buy.

Watch this space!