RON SANDFORD
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETLAND
RON SANDFORD 114°E / 1°W HONG KONG TO SHETLAND
For sales and enquiries contact the gallery at art@fasedinburgh.com · +44 (0)131 557 4050 View the exhibition online at fasedinburgh.com/exhibitions
6 Dundas Street Edinburgh EH3 6HZ +44 (0)131 557 4050 www.fasedinburgh.com
114°E / 1°W HONG KONG TO SHETLAND Hong Kong and Yell: island life from two geographically and culturally distinct and distant places are united in Sandford’s appreciation of the commonplace – both richly detailed microcosms. In the mid 1980s, Ron settled in Lamma, a small island off Hong Kong. A sort of paradise is how he described it. Living on the edge of pre-handover China and close to Macau, he was drawn to Chinese vernacular architecture as well as life as he found it around him. After 6 years, Ron and his family moved to another island: Yell, almost as far north as you can go in the UK. From his studio, he draws the everyday, every day: still life, landscape and portrait in pencil, pen, ink and watercolour. From the windows of his studio and home, Ron looks across the Bluemull sound to Unst. A distinctive cleft in the cliff face defiantly sits in the backdrop of many pictures, a recurring motif like the container ships that lurk in the background of his Hong Kong work. Ron grew up in Greenock, the son of a marine engineer. He was surrounded by plans and elevations. Through war-time rationing, his father brought home disused blueprints for tablecloths. The pale blue background and white skeletal drawings of cross-sections and elevations were, he recalls, ‘soaked up with my porridge’. From 1956-60 he attended Glasgow School of Art in the etching and engraving department. Encouraged by Philip Reeves, his tutor, Ron applied for and was accepted into the Royal College of Art. For three years he studied in the Graphics department where he became friends with Edward Bawden. He went on to secure a part-time teaching job at the College. Through the 60s and 70s he also taught part time in a number of prominent art schools. He illustrated books and newspapers and undertook large scale architectural commissions for the likes of Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and the V&A. Although he put his own stamp on the work, he had to respond to the needs of the commissioning agents. Released from those strictures, Ron’s eye and pen have roamed as they please. Alighting upon old rope, wild flowers, geos, trout, geese and sheep and in the east, broken tiles, lanterns, tropical plants and pan-tiled rooves. Emily Walsh
HONG KONG
1
Fishermen’s protest in a tropical rain storm, HK
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 27¾ x 34¾ inches
8 RON SANDFORD
2
Abandoned Junk Yard, Little Hong Kong
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 40 x 35½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 9
3
Ancient Chinese garden I
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 23½ x 35 inches
10 RON SANDFORD
4
Ancient Chinese garden II
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 25½ x 34¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 11
5
Horse Shoe Crab
signed and stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 23 x 29 inches
12 RON SANDFORD
6
O Tsai (Little Dock) I
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 24¼ x 30½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 13
7
O Tsai (Little Dock) II, night, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island
signed and dated 95, stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 28 x 39½ inches
14 RON SANDFORD
8
O Tsai (Little Dock) III, preparation of the Dragon Boat Festival, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 40 x 48 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 15
9
Guilin Gatehouse
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 25 x 27¼ inches
16 RON SANDFORD
10
Abandoned House, Luk Chau, Lamma Island
signed and stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 27¼ x 34¾ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 17
11
Chinese New Year, Macau
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 24 x 33 inches
18 RON SANDFORD
12
Macau Window
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 21¼ x 25½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 19
13 Lantern Festival, Pak Kok Kau Tsuen stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 26½ x 35¼ inches
20 RON SANDFORD
14 Pak Kok Kau Tsuen II stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 25½ x 34¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 21
15 New Year morning surprise stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 24¾ x 33½ inches
22 RON SANDFORD
16 Siesta stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 33¼ x 26 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 23
17 Street seller, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island signed and stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 29 x 23 inches
24 RON SANDFORD
18 Window onto West Lamma Channel signed and titled ‘A Lamma Channel’; stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 13½ x 15 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 25
19 Picture window signed, inscribed and dated 93, stamped with artist’s seal pen and ink · 13¾ x 17¾ inches
26 RON SANDFORD
20 Big eyed Chicken Fish and paper tiger signed, inscribed and dated 96, stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 15½ x 18½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 27
21 Poor Sole, Hong Kong stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 19¼ x 16 inches
28 RON SANDFORD
22 Pearl River Delta bananas titled and stamped with artist’s seal pen and ink · 10½ x 14¾ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 29
SHETLAND
23 Mousa Broch IV stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink, watercolour and crayon on paper · 24½ x 28 inches
32 RON SANDFORD
24 Mousa Broch V stamped with artist’s seal watercolour, pencil and ink · 22½ x 28½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 33
25 Papil Bay, Cullivoe stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 21 x 24½ inches
34 RON SANDFORD
26 On Papil Beach, Cullivoe stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 20½ x 23 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 35
27 Papil Snow stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 17 x 26 inches
36 RON SANDFORD
28 Migga Ness by Breiwick, North Yell stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 27 x 27¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 37
29 Staka Lance, North Yell stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 27¼ x 28¾ inches
38 RON SANDFORD
30 Papil Beach, Yell, Exhibit A stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 19¼ x 26½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 39
31 Geology III stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 11¾ x 16½ inches
40 RON SANDFORD
32 Northern Lights, Cullivoe, Yell stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 26¼ x 30¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 41
33 In a ‘boatie hoose’ II, Mid Yell Voe stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 27¾ x 28 inches
42 RON SANDFORD
34 Polytunnel Vision stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 17¾ x 25¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 43
35 St. Olaf Cullivoe or ‘To Work is to Pray’ stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on canvas · 31½ x 39¼ inches
44 RON SANDFORD
36 Crab table stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 14 x 18½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 45
37 The last of the flitboat ‘Rose’ I stamped with artist’s seal pencil, pen and ink · 16 x 19¾ inches
46 RON SANDFORD
38 The last of the flitboat ‘Rose’ II stamped with artist’s seal pen and ink · 17¼ x 17¼ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 47
39
Cullivoe Galley Shed I
stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 19 x 24¼ inches unframed
48 RON SANDFORD
40
Cullivoe Galley Shed II
signed, inscribed and dated ‘04, stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 18¼ x 23½ inches unframed
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 49
41 Cullivoe Galley Shed III signed, inscribed and dated ‘04, stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 18½ x 24 inches unframed
50 RON SANDFORD
42 Galley Shed IV stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 27½ x 31 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 51
43 Kitchen table stamped with artist’s seal pencil, pen and ink · 16¾ x 20¼ inches
52 RON SANDFORD
44 Dutch Toms initialled and stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 13 x 17 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 53
45
Wild Trout
initialled and stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 18 x 14¼ inches
54 RON SANDFORD
46
Marvellous Mackerels
stamped with artist’s seal pen and ink · 19½ x 18 inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 55
47 Bluemull Whale Vertebra stamped with artist’s seal print · 11 x 8½ inches
56 RON SANDFORD
48 Poppies and Tulips stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 17¼ x 14¾ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 57
49
Millby Flower Piece
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 19¼ x 27 inches
58 RON SANDFORD
50
Hairst Bunch
stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 28¾ x 22½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 59
51 Orchids signed and stamped with artist’s seal mixed media on paper · 26¼ x 21 inches
60 RON SANDFORD
52 Bluemull Formium Flowers stamped with artist’s seal pen, ink and watercolour · 26½ x 22½ inches
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETL AND 61
Published by the Fine Art Society in Edinburgh for the exhibition
RON SANDFORD
114°E / 1° W HONG KONG TO SHETLAND
held at 6 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, 2020 Catalogue © The Fine Art Society in Edinburgh
All rights reserved
Designed by The Fine Art Society in Edinburgh Photography by John McKenzie
Cover: Fishermen’s protest in tropical rain storm HK, (cat. no.1) Pg.3: Galley Shed IV (cat. no.42) Pg.5: O Tsai (Little Dock) II, night, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island (cat. no.7) Pg.29: Crab table (cat. no. 36)
The Fine Art Society in Edinburgh
6 Dundas Street Edinburgh EH3 6HZ +44 (0)131 557 4050 www.fasedinburgh.com