Frances MacdonaldBeyond the Island of storms

16 dundas street, edinburgh eh3 6hZ tel 0131 558 1200 emaIl mail@scottish-gallery.co.ukWeB www.scottish-gallery.co.uk

Cover: dutchman’s cap, lunga and Bac Beag from calbha, Julyoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches (cat 18)left: ‘mV sgarbh’ moored off Crinan, looking to duntrune Castle

Frances MacdonaldBeyond the Island of storms

29 noVemBer – 24 deCemBer 2014

2

3

foreWord

left: frances macdonald in her Crinan studio. Photograph by Craig easton

the idea for this exhibition, the artist’s fourth with the scottish Gallery, was for frances to do as she always does when faced with a studio empty of everything but stretched, pristine canvases: to go to Iona to make her start. however, rather than a fleeting visit this was a prolonged stay. hers is both a sailor’s and a painter’s understanding of the island, looking inward and out and she has added many new locations and aspects. like Peploe and Cadell before her she demonstrates a profound understanding of how the variation of weather and sea, and of aspect and viewpoint, makes the island an infinite giver of subjects. nosing around the little bays and coves, amongst the shoals of the West coast of the island in the family fishing boat has lent her new insights. the Island of storms at the north end is not ignored but now here are Port na fraig, the mermaids, Pulpit rock; vistas towards the Burgh and Ben mhor, on mull; eigg and the treshnish Isles. here also are yachts moored at st ronan’s Bay, a little picture of a beached boat and creels at martyr’s Bay, a cat on a corrugated roof by the Post office and the magnificent Bay at the Back of the ocean.

In 2013 frances was awarded the Charles rennie mackintosh residency at Collioure. these jewel-like, mineral dry canvases of Collioure and its hinterland add a warm counterpoint to the west coast of scotland. Wherever she is, frances’s eye is unerring, her technique dazzling and her appetite of hard work undiminished.

Guy PePloe

4

1 cows rock and the ross of Mulloil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

5

2 sandy cove and sea Pinksoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

6

3 dutchman’s cap, lunga and Ulva on the Horizonoil on canvas, 96.5 x 127 cms, 38 x 50 inches

7

8

4 Ben Mhor from rocky Pathwayoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

9

5 sea Fences, the north shore at calbhaoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches

10

6 Pathway to the north endoil on canvas, 20.5 x 25.5 cms, 8 x 10 inches

11

7 February, cove in Thorny Ground. White strand of the Monksoil on canvas, 45.5 x 51 cms, 18 x 20 inches

12

8 across the strait of the stormoil on canvas, 101.5 x 127 cms, 40 x 50 inches

13

14

9 rock Pools and eddies at the Pulpitoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

15

10 Pulpit rock and the little Pinnacle at the north endoil on canvas, 91.5 x 137 cms, 36 x 54 inches

16

11 dancing Waves at the north endoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

17

12 a Break in the clouds, camus cul a Taibh, Juneoil on canvas, 51 x 45.5 cms, 20 x 18 inches

18

13 spring Tide, Port Bhanoil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

19

14 sea Pinks sheltering, June at the north endoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches

20

15 lobster creels Fionnphortoil on canvas, 20.5 x 25.5 cms, 8 x 10 inches

21

16 Prawn Boats Fionnphortoil on canvas, 20.5 x 25.5 cms, 8 x 10 inches

22

17 The Island of eigg in the distanceoil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

23

18 dutchman’s cap, lunga and Bac Beag from calbha, Julyoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches

24

19 ashore at Martyr’s Bay, Februaryoil on canvas, 25.5 x 20.5 cms, 10 x 8 inches

25

20 Tortie on a Hot Tin roof, Ionaoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

26

21 cap Vermeille, côte catalone, Mayoil on canvas, 46.5 x 55 cms, 18 x 21.5 inches

27

22 collioure and the Fort from Bar Maritimeoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

28

23 Boats ashore, collioure Plage de Port d’avalloil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

29

24 collioure, Fort st-elme and the Windmill from the old Townoil on canvas, 46.5 x 55 cms, 18 x 21.5 inches

30

31

25 From the Mermaids, Ben Mhor and the Burghoil on canvas, 122 x 122 cms, 48 x 48 inches

26 Wintry Machair and storm Washed sands, February north endoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

32

27 nor’easter, Port na Fraigoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

33

28 sands of storm Islandoil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

34

29 lovely sunny day at the north endoil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

35

30 caesar’s skerry – Februaryoil on canvas, 76 x 101.5 cms, 30 x 40 inches

36

31 stormy Weather – strait of the stormsoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

37

32 safely Moored in st ronan’s Bay, Juneoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches

38

33 ‘The Two Brothers Ballantrae’ in the canal Basinoil on canvas, 30.5 x 30.5 cms, 12 x 12 inches

39

34 Ian’s Boat at crinanoil on canvas, 30.5 x 30.5 cms, 12 x 12 inches

40

35 Grey skies over Mull from sgeir nam Martoil on canvas, 76 x 101.5 cms, 30 x 40 inches

41

36 staffa Beyond Pulpit rockoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

42

37 cap Vermielle, Mayoil on canvas, 15 x 20.5 cms, 6 x 8 inches

43

38 le Phare, Port Vendresoil on canvas, 30.5 x 30.5 cms, 12 x 12 inches

44

39 céret, Franceoil on canvas, 45.5 x 40.5 cms, 18 x 16 inches

45

40 alpes Maritimes beyond Plage de Port d’avalloil on canvas, 51 x 61 cms, 20 x 24 inches

46

41 The Bay at the Back of the ocean, camus cul an Taibhoil on canvas, 101.5 x 127 cms, 40 x 50 inches

47

48

42 low Tide Port Bhanoil on canvas, 45.5 x 40.5 cms, 18 x 16 inches

49

43 ‘Birthe Marie’ moored in st ronan’s Bay

oil on canvas, 81 x 61 cms,32 x 24 inches

50

44 emerald Breakers; February at the north endoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

51

45 Breaking seas on Finger rock at the north endoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

52

46 The Free Kirk and Irises, Ionaoil on canvas, 20.5 x 25.5 cms, 8 x 10 inches

53

47 Treshnish Point from Ionaoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

54

48 Fionnphort across the sound of Iona from rocky cove – Februaryoil on canvas, 40.5 x 45.5 cms, 16 x 18 inches

55

49 Treshnish Point from cows rockoil on canvas, 76 x 101.5 cms, 30 x 40 inches

56

50 choppy emerald seas at the east Bayoil on canvas, 45.5 x 51 cms, 18 x 20 inches

57

51 low Tide February Morning, towards the Broad skerryoil on canvas, 61 x 81 cms, 24 x 32 inches

58

Born Glasgow

1983-1986 elected Council member, ssWa2004-2010 elected Council member, rGI2013 Charles rennie mackintosh residency at Collioure

solo exhIBItIons1975 Gallery Paton, edinburgh1977 shore Gallery, edinburgh1988 macaulay Gallery, stenton1989 sue rankin Gallery, london1993 the r.G.I. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow1994 the r.G.I. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow1995 the r.G.I. Kelly Gallery, Glasgow1996 the scottish arts Club, edinburgh1997 open eye Gallery, edinburgh1998 Cyril Gerber fine art, Glasgow1999 open eye Gallery, edinburgh2000 Portland Gallery, london2001 art 2001: the london Contemporary art fair2002 Portland Gallery, london2003 open eye Gallery, edinburgh2003 Portland Gallery, london2005 art 2005: the london Contemporary art fair2005 Portland Gallery, london2006 Portland Gallery, london2007 Portland Gallery, london2008 Portland Gallery, london2009 the scottish Gallery, edinburgh2009 Portland Gallery, london2010 the scottish Gallery, edinburgh2011 Portland Gallery, london2013 the scottish Gallery, edinburgh2013 Portland Gallery, london2014 the scottish Gallery, edinburgh

seleCted mIxed exhIBItIonsaberdeen art Gallery & museumsmclean museum Greenockthe royal scottish academythe royal Glasgow Institute of the fine artsVisual arts scotlandthe royal scottish society of Painters in Watercolour

ColleCtIonsadam & Company, edinburghhaines Watts Chartered accountants, Glasgowdrummond miller solicitors, edinburghfirst national Bank, usafred olsen Cruise linesGleneagles hotelhalifaxI and h Brown ltdmisys PlCCapital Property Grouproyal Bank of scotlandrobert fleming holdings ltdstenna shipping lineaberdeen asset managementand private collections worldwide

franCes maCdonald

right: frances macdonald in her Crinan studio, october 2014. Photograph by Gordon thomson

59

60

Published by the scottish Gallery to coincide with the exhibition franCes maCdonald: Beyond the Island of storms29 november – 24 december 2014

exhibition can be viewed online at www.scottish-gallery.co.uk/francesmacdonald

IsBn: 978-1-910267-08-0

designed by www.kennethgray.co.ukPhotography by John mcKenzie with additionalphotography by Gordon thomsonPrinted by Barr Colour 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.

16 dundas street, edinburgh eh3 6hZ tel 0131 558 1200 emaIl mail@scottish-gallery.co.ukWeB www.scottish-gallery.co.uk

right: Crinan

61

62