Northern Lights – Solo Show Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh (10 Feb – 10 March 2024)

Just a quick note to say there’s only 2 more days to see my solo show ‘Northern Lights‘ at Graystone Gallery in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Nocturne (Aurora)

There’s around 40 works in total, including several new oil paintings, etchings and Watercolours.

I’ve also included 3 different coloured versions of my Glitter Moon series of prints, each framed in non-reflective, museum-quality glass and currently available to buy only at Graystone Gallery.

Glitter Moons – Yellow, Blue and Pink, etching and screenprint – 69x80cm (framed individually)

The etchings have proved to be very popular, with A Hot Summer’s Day, Elie (seen below) having garnered 4 red dots so far. I have to thank Duncan MacMillan for his positive review in The Scotsman, describing my etchings as “certainly impressive”!

(Read about Duncan Macmillan’s Scotsman review of Northern Lights here.)

A Hot Summer’s Day, Elie

If you’d like a little more detail about the show and see a lot more pictures then I’ve written a blog post which can be found here. Or you can go directly to the gallery’s Northern Lights catalogue here.

Opening times are listed below:

Graystone GAllery OPENING TIMES

Mon-Tues: Viewings and private sales by appointment

Weds-Fri: 11:00-18:00

Sat: 10:00-17:00

Sun: 12:00-16:00

Click here or on the image below for all the details and pictures in Northern Lights!

Northern Lights – A Solo Exhibition at Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh

Last Friday night saw the opening of my latest solo show Northern Lights at Graystone Gallery in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

A welcoming window display with my latest oil painting of Muckle Flugga (finishedand framed  just hours before the show opened!)

And despite the inclement weather it turned out to be a busy private viewing, with people travelling from as far as Aberdeen, Glasgow and Fife for a first look at my latest work.

Over 40 of My Paintings & Prints on Show

With around 40 original pieces hanging across the gallery, it’s a real showcase of everything I’ve been working towards over the past 15 years.

The show is divided into three areas: oils, mixed media and etchings …

… with the pictures hung according to those groupings and in roughly equal numbers.

All in the name

I chose the title Northern Lights as it aptly reflects the nature and atmosphere of the majority of the work included in the exhibition. There are 12 oil paintings in the show, including the 3 above, which feature either Scottish lighthouses or shimmering twilight views across the Firth of Forth.

Glitter Moons – Yellow, Blue and Pink, etching and screenprint – 69x80cm (framed individually)

I’ve also included 3 original prints from my ‘luminous’ Glitter Moon series (above), as well as numerous colourful watercolours of Edinburgh and the East Neuk of Fife.

It’s not all about light and colour, however. In my etchings I focus more on the details, marks and tones that help to give each of the prints something distinctly different from all of my other work. On one wall you’ll find various craggy Scottish mountains and ruined castles, including Ben Nevis and Dunnottar. These are accompanied by atmospheric cityscapes of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Victoria Street and Dean Village …

The North Face, Ben Nevis, etching 44×18.5cm

… while on the opposite wall are more etchings of seascapes, including the old piers at both Culross and Aberdour (both shown below).

I’ll be back at the gallery on 24 February (2-4pm) for an Artist Talk, where I’ll discuss how I made these paintings and prints and also inspirations. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have too.

So if you’d like to attend then please get in touch with gallery owner Lesley at: lesley@graystonegallery.com

Northern Lights is on show now at Graystone Gallery in Edinburgh’s gorgeous Stockbridge and continues until 10 March 2024. If you manage to get along to see it then please get in touch and let me know what you think at cliveramage@gmail.com 

Some words from Graystone Gallery about the show …

“Look closely at the oil paintings in Northern Lights and you can sense a love of Whistler’s London nocturnes. Clive imbues his oils of lighthouses and the darker seascapes with that same feeling of delicate stillness and calm, building it with layer upon layer of transparent glazes …

Edinburgh Nocturne (Aurora), oil on canvas 98x98cm framed (detail)

The ramshackle buildings and highly detailed compositions and colour schemes of Schiele and Klimt’s landscapes have also had a big influence, which can be seen in the watercolours of coastal villages and Edinburgh in particular …

Ramsay Garden (ii), mixed media – 79x38cm framed

His intricate, detailed etchings, such as Dunnottar Castle, tell their own romantic stories, the individual marks carving out a brooding landscape …

Dunnottar Castle, etching – 77x59cm framed

In each of Clive’s works, there is a tangible sense of yearning, of a desire to create something that is beautiful, yet distant or unattainable. It’s there in those city lights twinkling and beckoning the viewer from far across the Firth of Forth …

The Bass Rock, oil on canvas 80x80cm framed

But there is also a drama at play in these atmospheric pieces that comes from a deeply felt need to create a perfectly constructed arrangement, or a harmonious symphony, out of the interplay between the land, the sea and the elements. Or, perhaps, the essence of Clive’s work is simply his attempt to try to capture and hold on to some long-sought feeling of calm and serenity.”

Graystone Gallery
52 Hamilton Place
Edinburgh
EH3 5AX
GENERAL OPENING TIMES

Weds-Fri: 11:00-18:00
Sat: 10:00-17:00
Sun: 12:00-16:00

Mon-Tues: Viewings and private sales by appointment

St Columba’s Hospice Art Show – opens in Edinburgh this Sat 28 October

Just a quick update to say I have 4 etchings for sale as part of the annual St Columba’s Hospice charity fundraising event, which opens to the public this Saturday 28th October at 10am.

The Bell Rock, photopolymer etching (42x42cm)

I’ve been taking part in this fantastic event every year for almost a decade and it’s always a great show. This year promises to be bigger and better than ever with paintings and prints by over 70 artists, alongside a selection of sculptures, ceramics and tapestries.

Victoria Street, Edinburgh, etching (16x21cm)

Buying art, helping others

At least 50% of every penny spent on art over this weekend goes directly to the charity, so it’s a great way to buy something you’ll love and cherish forever while helping the hospice continue to do its incredible work.

This year I have contributed the 4 pieces you can see here. But you’ve only got 2 days to see the show in person and snap them up (although the works can be viewed and purchased online between 10am Saturday 28th October and Friday 3rd November). Click here for the direct link to the online exhibition!

Fidra, photopolymer etching (19x42cm)

So if you’re in Edinburgh or fancy a day out then get along to the stunning St Columba’s Hospice building this coming Saturday or Sunday between 10-4pm and treat yourself to something beautiful … you know you deserve it! It’s worth the trip for the incredible views across the Firth of Forth alone!

Here’s where to find the art show. It’s free to enter and on-street parking is available:

17 Boswall Road, Edinburgh EH5 3RW

Paintings & Prints: From Scotland To The Moon at Inverness Creative Academy (Until 15 July)

I am delighted to announce that Paintings & Prints: From Scotland To The Moon, my latest solo exhibition, is now on show at Inverness Creative Academy.

Inverness Creative Academy, just a 2 minute walk up the hill from the Eastgate in the city centre and 5 minute walk from the train station

The Assembly Hall at ICA has to be the most beautiful gallery space I’ve ever seen, never mind shown my work in, and I’m delighted with how my 20 paintings and 18 prints look in such a fabulously well-lit and stunning exhibition space.

The staircase provided the perfect place for my 3 Glitter Moons, leading visitors to the upstairs level to where my etchings and watercolours are hanging.

A panoramic view of the landing where 13 of my etchings are on show

The whole gallery benefits from wonderful natural light provided by the many windows and the great arched window on the stairwell. In addition to that there’s a spotlight above every single picture and this really shows off my work beautifully.

Photo etchings, oil and watercolour paintings and my partner Pam enjoying a cup of tea in the cafe
I had some incredible help over the two-day installation from resident artist and ICA technician Martin Irish
The view from upstairs showing my oil and watercolour paintings

And before even half of my pictures were on the walls I was presented with a glowing review of the show by Gael Hillyard, who did a wonderful job of describing the effect my oil paintings and Glitter Moons had on her. Read the full review here.

Paintings & Prints: From Scotland To The Moon continues until 15 July and the gallery is open Mon-Fri 9-5pm and 9-3pm on Saturdays (free entry).

Solo Show at Inverness Creative Academy (10 June – 15 July)

Saturday 10th June marks the opening of my first ever solo show in Inverness.

With this body of work I hope to showcase both my varied interests and inspirations as a landscape artist, as well as the many techniques I use and often combine in their creation.

The Bell Rock (Twilight)

In conjunction with Wasps Artist Studios, I will present around 30 pieces in total. These will include dramatic new oil paintings of Neist Point and Isle Ornsay in Skye, alongside several mixed-media cityscapes of Edinburgh and surroundings.

Neist Point, Skye

Isle Ornsay (detail from wip)

Towards Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

Fidra Lighthouse

Also on show will be a selection of atmospheric etchings featuring, among other things, several Scottish lighthouses, castles and mountains.

Dunnottar Castle

Victoria Street, Edinburgh

North Face, Ben Nevis

There will also be 3 different coloured versions of my recent series of Glitter Moon limited-edition handmade prints, framed with non-reflective glass and available to buy for only the second time.

Glitter Moons – Yellow, Blue & Red, etching and screenprint, 47x57cm (individual image size)

So, all in all, there will be plenty to see across the two floors my show will occupy.

I will be at Inverness Creative Academy between 12-4pm for the opening on Saturday 10 June, so please come along if you are in the area. It would be great to see you there!

Fidra Fine Art: Architectural Landscape

This month I’m showing some of my work alongside 5 of Scotland’s finest and best-loved landscape and architecture specialists in a show at the excellent Fidra Fine Art gallery in Gullane.

Along with the 6 paintings below (all of which have been recently completed and were done especially for this show), I will have a few of my etchings included in what looks to be a really interesting exhibition. The show opens at Fidra Fine Art in Gullane this Saturday 25th Feb.

Dean Village (Sunset) 65x50cm (Mixed media on Saunders Waterford 425gsm paper)

The other 5 artists taking part are George Birrell, Ann Cowan, Amy Dennis, Ann Oram and Allan J. Robertson. Though we’re all inspired by architecture, each of us has our own very distinct style and employ different creative techniques to create our work.

The Bell Rock, Dusk 61x61cm (Acrylic on panel)

So if you happen to be in East Lothian between 26th Jan and 24 Feb then go along for a look (closed Mondays). I’ll be at the preview night this Friday (6-8pm), as will some of the other artists showing, so I’ll maybe see you at that.

 

The Bell Rock (Snow) 61x61cm (Acrylic on panel)

St Monans (Sunset) 50x20cm (Acrylic on panel)

Here’s a link for more details on the show at Fidra Fine Art

The Old Town (Morning Light) 65x50cm (Mixed media on Saunders Waterford 425gsm paper)

St Monans (Between The Woods and The Sea) 50x20cm (Acrylic on panel)

Society of Scottish Artists Annual Open Exhibition 2019

I’m very happy to have had the above etching hung at this year’s Society of Scottish Artists Annual Open Exhibition, which is being held at the RSA building on The Mound, Edinburgh. The show will run from 23rd Dec-17 Jan 2019.

I’ve also had my work shown in 2 other prestigious annual exhibitions held at the RSA this year, the RSA and RSW. So it’s been a great year on that front, but I’m hoping 2019 will be my best yet.

The new year will kick off with a show at Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, on the 25th of January, where 6 new paintings will be shown alongside works by 5 other artists who specialise in architectural landscapes, including my friend Ann Oram and some other artists I’ve yet to meet (George Birrell, Ann Cowan, Amy Dennis and Allan J Robertson). I’ve been working flat out on these pictures for the past few weeks and will post some of them here in due coarse.

In the meantime, thank you to all those of you who have supported me and my work this year and every other so far with your purchases and with your encouragement! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!