Jonathan Shearer - 'A Sense of Place

‘A Sense of Place’

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‘In the work for this exhibition I have been exploring some new locations and also returning to some old haunts. In particular, last autumn, I explored the rivers Blackwater, Affric, Averon and Findhorn with their fascinating rock formations and waters in spate set against the splendid autumn colour in the surrounding woodlands. I have also been exploring the mountains and have been working up some larger paintings from older winter sketches as I feel that winter brings out the best in the mountains. I have done a few painting excursions to Assynt, a place I can never tire of painting as it is a truly magnificent landscape. Summer excursions to Skye, Arisaig and Iona have provided some coastal inspiration. In all, I hope that this exhibition will convey my response to the landscape of the North and North West Highlands in all the seasons.’ - Jonathan Shearer

The entire exhibition can be viewed on the Castle Gallery’s website at: www.castlegallery.co.uk

Cover: Autumn River, oil on canvas, 70(h) X 91(w) cm

Jonathan Shearer

Winter Birches, Novar Woodsoil on canvas100(h) X 100(w) cm

“I knew when I had looked for a long time that I had hardly begun to see. The eye sees what it didn’t see before, or sees in a new way what it had already seen”

from ‘The Living Mountain’ by Nan Shepherd

This exhibition features Jonathan’s most ambitious work to date. He seeks to convey his physical engagement with the landscape; preferring to work en plein air and painting swiftly, applying thick oil paint using trowels and brushes to capture the fleeting moment and rapidly changing light conditions. Jonathan is totally committed to painting on the spot, even complaining one glorious summer that there was not enough wind and rain to make the landscape more interesting! It is only though experiencing the landscape in this way and through hard work and dedication in all weathers, that an artist can truly capture the excitement of the Scottish landscape.

en plein air

Lichen Woods, Coulhilloil on canvas, 86(h) X 135(w) cm

Blackwater from Silver Bridgeoil on canvas, 60(h) X 80(w) cm

Blackwater Narrows, oil on board, 21(h) X 25(w) cm Autumn Averon III, oil on board, 21(h) X 25(w) cm

Ardtoe, oil on board, 21(h) X 25(w) cmAutumn on the Affric, oil on board, 21(h) X 25(w) cm

Sand Dunes, Camusdarach, oil on canvas, 13(h) X 18(w) cm

Deep Blue Rock Pool, Camusdarrachoil on canvas, 60(h) X 80(w) cm

Birch Trees, Loch Moidart, oil on canvas, 65(h) X 110(w) cm

Autumn Birch II, Rogie, oil on board, 20(h) X 25(w) cm

Autumn Reflection, Beinn Dearg, oil on board, 15(h) X 31(w) cm

Autumn Eve on LochanDubh, Assyntoil on board18(h) X 25(w) cm

Cona’ Mheall and Loch Glascarnoch, oil on canvas, 25(h) X 50(w) cm

Mountain Colour, oil on board, 13(h) X 17(w) cm

Iona, North Beachoil on board15(h) X 21(w) cm

Iona, North Beachoil on board15(h) X 21(w) cm

Summer Blues, Iona, oil on board, 18(h) X 31(w) cm

Autumn Eve Light, Stac Pollyoil on board, 20(h) X 25(w) cm

Ben Mor Coigach, Autumnoil on board, 20(h) X 25(w) cm

Ben Mor Coigach, Autumnoil on board, 20(h) X 25(w) cm

Three Sisters from Old Military Road, oil on board, 16(h) X 31(w) cm

Autumn Blackwater, oil on canvas, 50(h) X 77(w) cm

Blackwater Rapidsoil on board21(h) X 26(w) cm

Wild Sea Ioil on canvas15(h) X 30(w) cm

Wild Sea IIoil on canvas15(h) X 30(w) cm

Wild Sea Ioil on canvas15(h) X 30(w) cm

Wild Sea IIoil on canvas15(h) X 30(w) cm

Last Light on Cona’ Mheall, oil on canvas, 30(h) X 40(w) cm

Killearnan Januaryoil on canvas30(h) X 24(w) cm

Killearnan Januaryoil on canvas30(h) X 24(w) cm

Ardross Woods in the Snow, oil on canvas, 47(h) X 96(w) cm

Winter Corries, Cairngorms, oil on canvas, 36(h) X 18(w) cm

Coire an t-Sneachda, oil on board, 17(h) X 50(w) cm

Novar Woods in Winteroil on board20(h) X 51(w) cm

Into the Winter Birchwoodoil on board20(h) X 51(w) cm

Winter Reflection, oil on board, 50(h) X 40(w) cm

Back Page:Culcraggie Burn IIoil on canvas50(h) X 77(w) cm

Winter Birches, Studyoil on board25(h) X 20(w) cm

JONATHAN SHEARER

EDUCATION1989 - 1993 Grays School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen BA (Hons) Painting and Drawing 1995 - 1996 Cyprus College of Art, Post Grad Dip. Painting and Drawing

AWARDS 2013 Shortlisted for the Jolomo Bank of Scotland Landscape Award 2005 Fundacion Valpairiso Residency, Spain 1995 Commendation, Aberdeen Artists Exhibition 1993 John Kinross Scholarship to Florence, Royal Scottish Academy Sir Robin Phillipson Memorial Medal, Royal Scottish Academy 1st Prize, Grays Sketch Club Exhibition, Aberdeen Art Gallery

COLLECTIONS British Midland Airways, Edinburgh Airport, Cyprus College of Art, Royal Scottish Academy, Grays School of Art, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Highland Council, private collections throughout Britain, Europe, America, Cyprus and South Korea.

RECENT SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2015 “A Sense of Place”, Castle Gallery, Inverness2014 “Inks & Charcoals”, Jack Tierney Gallery, Aberdeen “The North Country”, Strathearn Gallery2013 “Weather Dependent”, Jack Tierney Gallery, Aberdeen “Northern Exposure”, Airt Gallery, Aberdeenshire “Latitude”, Cromarty Arts Trust, Ross-shire 2012 “New Paintings from the Northern Highlands”, Castle Gallery, Inverness2010 “In Wild Places”, Mclean Fine Art, Air Gallery, London2009 “Atmosphere and Light”, Strathearn Gallery, Crieff2009 “The Isles and West Coast”, Castle Gallery, Inverness2008 “New Paintings”, Maclean Fine Art, Arndean Gallery, London

Jonathan Shearer 14th March - 4th April 2015Castle Gallery, 43 Castle St, Inverness, IV2 3DUwww.castlegallery.co.uk 01463 729512