Shetland: April 11

If I were brave I'd post the 5 paintings it took to make this 'peerie' one

Shetland 10 acrylic and gesso on canvas 6x6in 2015, 95.

 *If you have pre-purchased one of my works via the Wild in Shetland crowd-funder, and fancy this painting, please speak up-it can be yours!

Shetland residency

 

 

 Shetland 5 (Sumburgh), acryilc & gesso on canvas, 6x6in, sold

 

This post is very long-a compilation of my first 10 days in Shetland.....

 

April 9

Today Shetland artist and new friend Anne Barron took me for a stunning drive to visit the studio of painter and jewellery-maker Mike Finny. Shetland is home to many artists and the rugged land, sea and sky weave a distinct yet diverse pattern of art, music and knitwear. It was quite interesting to hear Mike talk about his work and inspirations.

Along with the studio visit I was completely bowled over by the stunning views through the car window as we drove on to Anne's place. Hills, water, croft houses, stacked rock fences marking the land, vast changing skies were everywhere as we wound our way through sheep covered hills. Shetland ponies grazing against stark backdrops of rigid purple hills, and the light-the LIGHT!. The mysterious moody light in Shetland entices me to no end.

Anne and husband Mike live in 'Papil', Burra Isle. The name Papil is a Norse reference to the papar. 'This name can be found in the form Papyli in several locations in Iceland. However, it is not just Papil's etymology that suggests the site of an early (8th century) church, confirmation has been found in the form of the "Monk's Stone", which was dug up in Papil and which is now in the Shetland Museum.  A tall, narrow slab, it features a distinctive circular crosshead, and carvings of monks and a Pictish lion. Below this are two “birdman” figures holding a human head between their beaks.' http://www.stravaiging.com/history/pictish/stone/papil-stone#sthash.iFkP22jX.dpuf

Shetland has a vast history dating back approximately 6000 years. 'Throughout the islands there are clues in the landscape to the challenges and resources that shaped the lives of past inhabitants. From a national perspective, it is arguably the most exciting place in Britain for discovering and interpreting the past. Prehistoric field systems, Bronze Age burnt mounds, Iron Age brochs, Pictish wheelhouses, Viking and Norse longhouses and post-medieval fortifications all serve to offer a rich tapestry of well-preserved and visible human settlement.'
http://visit.shetland.org/archaeology-alive-discover-the-ancient-secrets-of-shetland

Anne's lovely home is located very close to Meal Beach. Shetland boasts many stunning beaches-this one has white sand!

As I write, the studio is being pelted by rain and crashing waves, the force nothing to what Shetlanders are accustomed to. Shetland seems invincible. I like that. I like that it isn't exploited by burger kings and macdonalds and starbucks. I like that people look themselves, not generic and processed. I like that agricultural land sits next to the sea. I like that culture and history are nurtured, not bulldozed. I like how right now, in this moment, I feel a sense of place in time, and that I am here.

*a sincere thank you to Anne for a wonderful day!

April 8

days wandering, the tide brings new gifts.

Back to oil re painting-the one below  (Shetland 6) was made on waxed panel, 8x10in, available for sale.

April 6

Today: light. water. edges. Pushing pigment on these tiny surfaces (6x6 and 8x8in) with different media and tools is a good challenge-still working out the kinks.

If you have pre-purchased one of my works via the Wild in Shetland crowd-funder, and fancy the available 6x6in painting featured here, please speak up-it can be yours!

Shetland 5, acrylic & gesso, 6x6in, sold

 Shetland 4, acrylic & gesso, 8x8in, 110.

 Shetland 3, acrylic & gesso, 6x6in, 95.

Tonight: wandering to see what the tide brought in-found some interesting things-thank goodness I brought the backpack!

 April 5

The walk today found 'Tirricks' by Joanna Redmond, and some fodder for art making-the wood smells of sea

On the left is a first attempt at bannocks-although they aren't supposed to be round, they tasted pretty good.

Monday, April 6, 2015

I thought that I would have this blog up and running before now. I arrived in Shetland on April 1. (No, this is not an April Fools joke). Right now all of my senses are on overload. I will write more -but can’t now.

I have been posting short goings on to my facebook page and copied them below. More when I come back to earth. Thank you for your patience.

April 1

I'm here...finally!!! view from the studio

April 2

 haven't worked with acrylic for quite awhile-edges are tricky-but it felt really good to push paint around-not the best photo and might go back into it-or not. On a warning note to artists travelling to residencies over the pond, going through UK security: when they ask what you will be doing: do NOT answer with 'working' or 'residency' -instead, say 'painting' and 'retreat' otherwise they will think you want to establish residency and employment there-they don't like that-they REALLY don't like that.'Shetland 1, acrylic and gesso on canvas, 12x12in copyright Jan Yates 2015

April 3

A walk around Scalloway

 

 

April 4

when I returned from the walk, I found some feathers on the stone rail-and a feather trail in the water-was there a battle?-survivors? made a portal just in case...the wet feathers put me in mind of fish...

a sense of place in time

No paintings to share-currently in transition mode-a necessary evil.

In the meantime, I've been working on the 'land mark' series and thought I'd post my findings as well as formal statement about the inspiration.

(FB post) the late afternoon light was beautiful and my coat pocket had been holding this duck wing far too long.... I was amazed at the structure of the wing (before I dismantled it)-perfectly engineered for flight, and warmth I suppose as there were tiny downy bits close to the break. these white feathers are from the under-wing.





 formal statement: land mark

A connecting aspect of my practice has been informed by altars and alter-ability in the land. After spending time at an international residency in 2011, I have become more and more interested in the human connection with a sense of place and how we are all compelled to alter the land in some way, shape or form, even in remote, sparsely populated regions of the world.

I am driven to leave my own land marks in these places and find myself making portals from discarded vineyard wire, arranging red sumac in  spirals on blue snow shadows and lining up rows of  milkweed pods into migration patterns.

Remnants found in fallow fields such as vine, carcass, nests, litter and wild flowers are altered to become symbolic human connections to a specific sense of place in time. They are left as temporary markers for others to encounter (or not) before being reclaimed by the natural world.

I am intrigued by the processes happening in nature over time and it’s unpredictability that affects the work. The uncertainty of working with the weather, the connection between land and light, uprooting and unearthing hidden things and hidden life are all elements that motivate my practice.



Building three dimensional work using only materials available from my immediate surroundings is something that continues to take shape.

 

see more works from this project

please do not use any of these images without permission from the artist

all rights reserved- copyright Jan Yates 2015

fits and starts

falling snow swept
and swayed,
at fading games of
connect the dots
beyond the window frame
taking turns dashing in
and darting out
decoding winter’s
secret march
in summersaults
of fits and starts

- Mori McCrae

January

aluminum pigment & charcoal on panel

24x24in, copyright Jan Yates 2015

available

'my witness is the empty sky'

 Jack Kerouac

Although not much snow, there have been lots of high winds here in Niagara. One thing about the wind is it sure makes some interesting sky (at least to me).

I like the monochrome in winter and the challenge to push greys. The subdued nuances of tones and textures in the land cast by the sky- greys intrigue me to no end. 

Winter is a quiet place in time.

December

 oil/cold wax on canvas

 20x24in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

available  

breath of winter

Although currently working on studio paintings indoors, at the end of each session I try to make a plein air sketch -luckily I can just step outside. This direct observation work helps me immensely when addressing middle tones/values/edges in the larger studio works.

 *and I just really love the subtle breath of winter light

 December, remains of the day, oil / cold wax on canvas, 16x20in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

available

and on a field note:

milkweed

the force of gale

In staying tuned to all things Shetland, news feeds have been showing gale force winds wreaking magnificent havoc along the coastline. In watching web-cams and videos, I was compelled to respond...

Gale force 8

 oil / cold wax on canvas, 16x20in

copyright Jan Yates 2014

love what it loves

This time of year I tend to be reflective, melancholy-longing for those not near...


You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

November, remains of the day

 oil & cold wax on canvas, 18x18in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

sold

lights in the sky

many years ago child-spirits appeared in my encaustic work. i recently came across one 'in progress' while cleaning out the studio- embellished her with some new found hawk feathers and for some reason I want to call her a 'mirrie dancer', although if you read the description it's a wee bit gruesome:

'In Scotland, the northern lights were known as "the mirrie dancers" or na fir-chlis. There are many old sayings about them, including the Scottish Gaelic proverb "When the mirrie dancers play, they are like to slay." The playfulness of the mirrie dancers was supposed to end occasionally in quite a serious fight, and next morning when children saw patches of red lichen on the stones, they say among themselves that "the mirrie dancers bled each other last night". The appearance of these lights in the sky was considered a sign of the approach of unsettled weather.'  

 to be featured this Saturday @ the pop up show:
http://firecrackerfuschia.weebly.com/

 

encaustic painting workshop

more shameless flogging.....



Art Therapy To Help You De-Stress This Holiday Season: Opening tomorrow for Encaustic painting:

Ancient and intriguing, this method of painting originated in Greece, where it was used for the earliest easel and mural painting. A heady combination of colour, melting wax and heat, encaustic mixes dry and oil pigments in hot beeswax. Encaustic painting is safe and non-toxic.

http://www.janyates.com/teaching.html

images (sold) copyright to Jan Yates

Christmas studio sale

   

June, solstice, oil on canvas, 40x40in, copyright Jan Yates 2013

 SALE on now!  

 5th annual 'Open Studio LIVE'

http://www.janyates.com/sale.html