Gillies observes

West Highland Gate-Willie Gillies

To Edinburgh on Wednesday to see the Turner watercolours.This is becoming something of a habit now. It is certainly a habit which Edinburghers have taken to.There are always 15 or 20 folk looking at the small but exceedingly choice group of works which are only displayed in January.

In fact I almost didn't go but the discovery that there was a chance-the last chance almost to see a show of Gillies watercolours clinched it. I had to go! It promised to be a treat in itself, and so it was. Most of the Gillies subjects were promised-the Highlands, the fishing villages of the East Neuk, farmyards and Temple itself.

I once  knew someone who had seen Gillies drawing and he told me that the artist was as liable to hold the drawing implement at any odd angle or with any grip other than as if writing.A pencil might be held near its base and pushed up the paper.That Gillies' line is fluent and free is obvious. His use of watercolour is very striking. I thought that quite a few of the works at the Scottish Gallery tended towards a fairly liquid gouache rather than watercolour.I wonder if he ever bothered with aquapasto. I'm thinking mostly of the freer more painterly works such as Rosebery near Temple.It seems to me that Gillies is at his best in the drawings and watercolours. I remember the big retrospective almost 20 years ago at the RSA as being rather disappointing when it came to the large oil paintings and  I certainly feel that he was easiest and most natural in the lighter medium.

It was  thoughtful of the Scottish Gallery to make the catalogue of the show available online as a PDF and you can download it here.The work I'm illustrating will have a resonance for anyone who has ever been in the west of Scotland.It is a small pencil sketch.I like it because it says something about the crofting, small farming way of life there.It reminds me of the accounts of crofting life in that poignant,matter of fact,unsentimental,witnessing found in Night Falls on Ardnamurchan by Alsadair Maclean. Maclean has something to say about the make do and mend lifestyle of his father who had to cobble together shelter for his beasts from whatever  materials could be found or collected. The gate is just the sort of thing you find where farmers have to bodge things together. There are an odd number of verticals and one of the cross pieces seems distinctly rickety.The whole thing seems fragile and possibly held together with a prayer and a bit of string. 

Exhibition Pictures

Well, the pictures are in place at the People's Theatre.You can download a PDF (16mb) showing most of the landscapes and a price list here.The hanging went surprisingly quickly: this was particularly due to Robert's patient and efficient help.The dreadful weather over the previous several days did a lot to increase the stress.On Friday 18 January I had to go to Alnmouth to pick up two paintings from Mick the framer who runs the Old School Gallery with his wife Amanda.

Given the weather forecast I had decided to go by train rather than risk a  car or bus journey.The chances of the A1 getting blocked were considerable and I just didn't feel like more stress and danger. When I got to the station all the trains seemed to be on time-except the one I was due to take.But I had an anytime ticket and so could catch the next train-in less than an hour.On the journey to Alnmouth I noticed the countryside getting whiter. You can see Northumberlandia on the left as you head north-about 15 minutes from Newcastle.It's profile is quite evident. Its a nice idea to produce an earth work but really it is rather timid and basic. It doesn't look very big, either.

From Alnmouth Station it is a 20 minute walk to the village. So, there I was with my walking pole,my gardening boots and my trusty umbrella. The umbrella was a great help as the snow was coming sideways at me. Visibility, because of the brolly in front of me was almost zero but,hey, Alnmouth is in my genes and it is a straight road.

At the gallery they were most welcoming and Mick's work set off the paintings nicely. He is very quick at understanding what you are aiming for. A cup of tea from Amanda was really very welcome and then, I had not expected it-a lift back to the station with my parcel was a kindness I shall remember for quite a while.Well,almost to the station,we got onto the bank which proved slippery and I had to leave Mick and press on for my train.

At the station I noticed someone selling coffee. I cannot recall the name of the firm in question but this seemed a little desperate. There seemed to be a small, square shaped tent made of transparent plastic material. Maybe there was one of those little vans attached. But you had to think, how do they put up with it?What do they do about a lavatory? Presumably there is some deal with the station. It is a manned station now,again, but I couldn't see a lavatory for passengers.I suppose that this kind of stall is the modern version of those  canvas and wood coffee stalls you used to see in the past.When the train approached you could see its lights about 150-200 yards away-but hardly see the train itself.