LANDED
Starts 30 June, 2019 in Howies Waterloo, Edinburgh
The theme of this collection is Landed, as in a duck landed on a pond, the fisherman landed a big catch, or a lucky artist landed an exhibition at Howies Restaurant! That's the verb form. As an adjective landed can describe something derived from the land. Considering these definitions I focused on fresh caught, locally sourced, natural foods that come from animals. I have attempted to tie it in with Howies' Scottish cuisine and my own background as a fisherman's daughter.
So while you’re considering the venison, you might look up and notice the peaceful eyes of Donalda the Doe. And this might prompt you to choose a seafood dish instead… until you notice a lifeless Stuart the Sea Trout lying next to a cut lemon. Of course Gordon the Goat and Eugenie the Ewe won’t mind if you order cheese, nor will Pinky the Chicken squawk about you eating an egg. But please, take no notice of these thoughts! Enjoy the delicious fresh food served at Howies. The paintings are not meant to promote a vegan lifestyle (nor oppose it). The purpose is to remind us of the connections between Nature and what is on our table, and to appreciate food that is as close to the source as possible.
All of the animals in the paintings are not only found in Scotland but also in Nova Scotia (New Scotland), which is where I hail from. My father was a career fisherman who also hunted, picked berries, made herb tonics and still does all of these things. So with that background, and having eaten the tasty food at Howies, it has been easy to find inspiration for this collection. You will even find a still-life painting of my father's mackerel fishing lure.
Most of the paintings are of animals that provide us with food. A few are animals who are themselves hunting or fishing for their dinner. Through expressions and Scottish names, I’ve tried to paint spirit into each one so that viewers might ponder the personalities, intelligence and souls of animals. I hope not to elicit guilt about eating them but to highlight ethical practices in the way we gather and consume food. Considerations such as sustainable agriculture practices, humane meat production, and keeping habitats free from pollution.
It’s clear that Howies honours these principles, which must surely enhance the joy of eating there. Not only that, they share their beautiful walls with artists like me.
Starts 30 June, 2019 in Howies Waterloo, Edinburgh
The theme of this collection is Landed, as in a duck landed on a pond, the fisherman landed a big catch, or a lucky artist landed an exhibition at Howies Restaurant! That's the verb form. As an adjective landed can describe something derived from the land. Considering these definitions I focused on fresh caught, locally sourced, natural foods that come from animals. I have attempted to tie it in with Howies' Scottish cuisine and my own background as a fisherman's daughter.
So while you’re considering the venison, you might look up and notice the peaceful eyes of Donalda the Doe. And this might prompt you to choose a seafood dish instead… until you notice a lifeless Stuart the Sea Trout lying next to a cut lemon. Of course Gordon the Goat and Eugenie the Ewe won’t mind if you order cheese, nor will Pinky the Chicken squawk about you eating an egg. But please, take no notice of these thoughts! Enjoy the delicious fresh food served at Howies. The paintings are not meant to promote a vegan lifestyle (nor oppose it). The purpose is to remind us of the connections between Nature and what is on our table, and to appreciate food that is as close to the source as possible.
All of the animals in the paintings are not only found in Scotland but also in Nova Scotia (New Scotland), which is where I hail from. My father was a career fisherman who also hunted, picked berries, made herb tonics and still does all of these things. So with that background, and having eaten the tasty food at Howies, it has been easy to find inspiration for this collection. You will even find a still-life painting of my father's mackerel fishing lure.
Most of the paintings are of animals that provide us with food. A few are animals who are themselves hunting or fishing for their dinner. Through expressions and Scottish names, I’ve tried to paint spirit into each one so that viewers might ponder the personalities, intelligence and souls of animals. I hope not to elicit guilt about eating them but to highlight ethical practices in the way we gather and consume food. Considerations such as sustainable agriculture practices, humane meat production, and keeping habitats free from pollution.
It’s clear that Howies honours these principles, which must surely enhance the joy of eating there. Not only that, they share their beautiful walls with artists like me.
Otto the studio assistant posing with Pinky the Chicken
