Cathy Campbell goes solo!

It's been a long time in the making, but it will be more than worth the wait......

We look forward to sharing the fruits of labour.
See you Thursday!

An Explanation

Hello everyone,

You might have noticed that, over the past few weeks, we have been blogging paintings by James Newton Adams, accompanied by poems written by Iain Finlay Mcleod.  I think it's time to explain.....

Writer, poet and award-winning film director Iain Finlay Mcleod spent time last summer as writer in residence for the Cromarty Arts Trust.  Whilst there, he produced a series of poems in his native Gaelic tongue, which artist James Newton Adams then used as the basis for a series of beautiful paintings.  Entitled 'The Cromarty Series', these works were then exhibited in Cromarty, and we are delighted to now have them at UG as part of our current exhibition, Poetic Licence.  The work is extremely effective, and the poems and paintings compliment each other superbly.  The Cromarty Arts Trust said: "We think the poems and images capture the essence of life in Cromarty in a beautiful way".  Praise indeed.

So, if you've been to Cromarty and want to be reminded of its charms, or if you've never been but would like to know more about it, UG is the place to be until 27 February.

Here's another one:

'Cul-de-sac', acrylic on card, by James Newton Adams.

Now I’m stuck.

They take parking

very seriously here.

I’ve messed up.

That man with the red car

he’s a liability

they’ll say.

Dawdling and revving

keeping everyone up

looking at the moon.

Cul-de-sac, by Iain Finlay Mcleod.

Speak soon.

Spread the Love

Hello everyone,

Well I'm afraid it's that time of year again folks.  There's no escaping Valentines Day!

Here at UG we believe that it's no more than a tasteless commercial frenzy, from which the likes of Tesco do very well indeed.
So, to counteract the tat we thought we'd highlight a couple of gems from our current exhibition, Poetic Licence, that are truly heartfelt, classic, and that will certainly stand the test of time:

'Shakespeare's Sonnet, oil and pencil on board, by Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds

William Shakespeare, Sonnet No. 116

Sensitive and regal, Joyce Gunn Cairns captures the intimacy of a genuine couple in love - beautiful.

Or, if you'd like something more intimate in scale:

'Home Is when I'm Alone With You', mixed media, by Imogen Alabaster.
With a title taken from the lovely song 'Home', by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros', this is a beautiful little painting that gets its message across without submitting us to dreadful commercial sentimentalism.

You have until February 27th to come in and have a look at this wonderful exhibition.

Speak soon. 

The Boat in the Window

The Boat in the Window

Well. This is lovely

being in the window.

I don’t have to worry

about back breaking storms

barnacles and sprung butts

or fishscales on my deck.

I’m done with blood.

I’ve a fine view.

People like to see me

on their way to the harbour.

It does sometimes though

make me a little sad

when she opens the window

and I smell the sea.

 

by Iain Finlay Mcleod

'The Boat in the Window', by James Newton Adams.

Horsepower

HORSEPOWER

The horses look
at all that power
the classic car club
in strict formation
like men o’ war
painted and polished
good enough
to meet the Queen. 
'Horsepower' by Iain Finlay MacLeod.

'Horsepower', oil on canvas by James Newton Adams.

Ahab

AHAB

He’s not looking my way.
I know why!
Look at this beauty
and his creels are empty
And the village is watching
I knew it, I said
I’ve hooked this monster before
But people never believe
a man with his feet on the ground
will amount to much.
Get the chips on, darling
I’m king of the world.



'Ahab' by Iain Finlay Macleod.

'Ahab', oil on canvas by James Newton Adams.