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Char l e s Sim p s on
Sky, sea, some snow, two rooks, a gannet and a sheep
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THE
SCOTTISH
GALLERY
Charles Simpson
Sky, sea, some snow, two rooks, a gannet and a sheep 7 February to 3 March 2018
THE
SCOTTISH
GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842 �6 DUNDAS STREET � EDINBURGH EH3 6HZ 0�3� 558 �200 • mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk � scottish-gallery.co.uk
CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842
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Iona, 2016
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Familiarity and wonder From his garden studio outside Clovenfords in the Scottish Borders Charles Simpson looks south and east across the rolling summits of the Border Hills. Daily walks along the track to Torwoodlee, or up to Craig or Meigle Hills provide the artist with ample subject matter. The skies provide an ever-changing source of inspiration, his painter’s eye accustomed to perceiving the subtle changes in light coming with changes in season, weather and time of day. But it is not just the area around Simpon’s home which drives the artist’s creative impulses. For when Simpson begins to work in earnest towards an exhibition of new painting he will always travel north in search of stimulus. For this show, his second with The Scottish Gallery, Simpson has once again made his pilgrimage to Iona, and further north to Ullapool and Achiltibuie. The quiet corners of Scotland’s north-west coast are now familiar places for Simpson where walking, looking and patience will bear fruit in paintings which capture familiarity and wonder together. The full range of painter’s skills allows Simpson to capture fleeting moments of sunshine, or the darkening seas of a thunderous squall with an immediacy and truthfulness; each painting anchored by its location, in tune with real experience, making the impermanent permanent. the scottish gallery
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1. Ullapool Rooks oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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Introduction This, my second exhibition at The Scottish Gallery, is a collection of paintings based on travels and observations over the past couple of years. Included are paintings from Clachtoll, Achiltibuie, Ullapool, Wester Ross, Sanna, the Arisaig coast, Iona, Mull, and of course the landscape around my home in Clovenfords. There is no particular theme but for a new solo show I do always try to change tack somewhat, be it through different locations, subject matter or even sizes of paintings. What starts off as perhaps a few unconnected paintings will gradually evolve into a group with hopefully a cohesive shape, form and tone, much like producing an individual painting from its initial vague marks. These are familiar subjects for me, which presents its own issues in trying to see them afresh – though it’s a good few years since I was last at Sanna on Ardnamurchan. This show’s subject matter also prompted me to produce more of my larger paintings than usual which I particularly enjoyed. charles simpson
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2. Storm Approaching oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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3. Dunes, Achnahaird oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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4. Isle of Mull oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm
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5. Clouds Gathering over the Hills oil on canvas, 50 x 100 cm
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6. Beach Stream, Sanna oil on canvas, 50 x 100 cm
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7. Small Wood, Torwoodlee oil on canvas, 60 x 90 cm
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8. Iona Light oil on canvas, 80 x 100 cm
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9. The Weather Cleared in the Afternoon oil on canvas, 40 x 60 cm
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10. A Dark Wave oil on canvas, 40 x 60 cm
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11. Light on the Sea, Isle Ristol oil on canvas, 40 x 50 cm
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12. Snow: Mist on the Hills oil on canvas, 40 x 50 cm
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13. Fishing Boat, Loch Broom oil on canvas, 90 x 110 cm
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14. Grey Sea, Ledaig oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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15. Track to Clovenfords oil on canvas, 30 x 60 cm
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16. Traigh Morning oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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17. Duart Morning oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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18. January Track oil on canvas, 80 x 120 cm
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19. August Day, Iona oil on canvas, 70 x 100 cm
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20. Lighthouse oil on canvas, 40 x 50 cm
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21. Roadside Gate oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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22. Passing Duart oil on canvas, 80 x 100 cm
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23. Dark Evening oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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24. On the Beach oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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25. Two Boats oil on canvas, 60 x 80 cm
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26. Beach Rocks, Iona oil on canvas, 50 x 100 cm
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27. Clachtoll Sea oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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28. North West Coast oil on canvas, 73 x 92 cm
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29. Gruinard oil on canvas, 30 x 60 cm
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30. Across the Bay to Assynt oil on canvas, 30 x 60 cm
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31. Big Cloud over Portuairk oil on canvas, 90 x 110 cm
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32. Winter Gate oil on canvas, 50 x 60 cm
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33. Two Gulls oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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34. Sanna Shore oil on canvas, 80 x 120 cm
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35. West Coast Mountains oil on canvas, 20 x 50 cm
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36. High Tide oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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37. Track through the Snow oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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38. Stream to the Sea oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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39. Two Figures oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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40. Eigg & Rocks oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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41. April Cloud oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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42. Sgurr oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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43. Gannet & Clouds oil on canvas, 20 x 30 cm
45. Wee Boat oil on canvas, 20 x 30 cm
44. Up on the Hill oil on canvas, 20 x 30 cm
46. Storm Island oil on canvas, 20 x 30 cm
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47. Roadside Snow oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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48. Out to Sea, Loch Broom oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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49. North Shore oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm
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50. Sunset over the Summer Isles oil on canvas, 20 x 20 cm
51. Distant Ferry oil on canvas, 20 x 20 cm
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52. West Coast Sheep oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
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Charles Simpson Born 1952 Educated at Alloa Academy, Alloa 1970-75 Studied at Glasgow School of Art Graduated with BA(Hons) 1975-90 Graphic Designer in Edinburgh 1990 Moved to the Scottish Borders to work as an artist and freelance designer 1999 Became full-time artist solo exhibitions 1991 — Macaulay Gallery, Stenton 1992 — Macaulay Gallery, Stenton 1996 — Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh 1998 — Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh 1998 — Ainscough Contemporary Art, London 1999 — Tolquhon Gallery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 2000 — Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh 2000 — Ainscough Contemporary Art, London 2001 — Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh 2002 — ArtLondon (Ainscough Contemporary Art) 2002 — Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh 2003 — Panter & Hall, London 2004 — Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh 2004 — Panter & Hall, London 2005 — Olympia Antiques Fair, London (Panter & Hall) 2005 — Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh 2006 — Panter & Hall, London 2007 — Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh 2008 — Panter & Hall, London 2009 — Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh
2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2017 2018
— Bourne Fine Art, Cork Street Gallery, London — John Davies Gallery, Moreton-in-Marsh — Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh — Panter & Hall, London — Six@Sixty, Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh — Walker Gallery, Harrogate — John Davies Gallery, Moreton-in-Marsh — Flying Colours Gallery, London — Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh — Panter & Hall, London — Flying Colours Gallery, London — The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh — John Davies Gallery, Moreton-in-Marsh — Panter & Hall, London — The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Traigh, 2017
60 Published by The Scottish Gallery to coincide with the exhibition:
Charles Simpson: Sky, sea, some snow, two rooks, a gannet and a sheep 7 February to 3 March 2018 Exhibition can be viewed online at www.scottish-gallery.co.uk/charlessimpson ISBN 978-1-910267-73-8 Designed by Charles Simpson Paintings photographed by Gordon Bell Printed by Barr Printers All rights reserved. No part of this catalogue may be reproduced in any form by print, photocopy or by any other means, without the permission of the copyright holders and of the publishers.
THE
SCOTTISH
GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842 �6 DUNDAS STREET � EDINBURGH EH3 6HZ 0�3� 558 �200 • mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk � scottish-gallery.co.uk
Front cover: Grey Day, Ledaig (detail, cat. 14) Inside front cover: Ullapool Rooks (detail, cat. 1) Inside back cover: West Coast Sheep (detail, cat. 52)
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THE
SCOTTISH
GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842