What's The Point of Art?

Now there's a question.  

I'm going with Francis Bacon on this one.  He once said 'It is the artist's job to deepen the mystery'. 

I wholeheartedly agree that a true artist doesn't just represent what we can already see clearly around us, but encourages us to look at everyday things in a different way, allowing us to explore our mysterious world.

Sian MacQueen RSW - Journey To Jura

Take the Scottish landscape.  We are already lucky enough that it seems to shift and change before our eyes due to the ever-changing weather, but it also provides massive inspiration to many Scottish artists, allowing them to interpret the world around us in their own way.

Out current three-person exhibition has three artists working in this way, as expressive individuals. 

Sian MacQueen takes the Scottish islands, the places she loves, and pairs them with meaningful mementos.  These are personal to her, but the viewer takes delight or confusion from the symbols and makes their own interpretation about them and their relevance to the landscape.

David Martin RSW RGI - Field and Dark Hill, Perthshire

David Martin is a wonderful expressive painter who breaks the landscape down into rhythm and colour.  We recognise it, but not quite.  His paintings highlight the pulse of nature apparent to the eye but evoke the layers and layers of life hidden beneath the surface.

David Smith RSW - The Rhum Cuillin

David Smith puts himself directly into the Scottish landscape with his love of hill-walking. His is a love of the scale and majesty of our landscape. His paintings denote the power and the passage of time in our world, reminding us to be in the moment, for now is to be cherished.  Okay, that's my interpretation!  All good works should inspire multiple interpretations.

More from these artists can be viewed on:

http://smithygallery.co.uk/currentExhibitions.htm

Thanks for reading!

Natalie