
	Let's begin our journey in the West of Ireland, where the powerful Atlantic Ocean first makes contact with the shores of the British Isles. There is a wildness about the place....and also a great sense of freedom in the very air we breathe.............. *Co. Galway, Ireland. Acrylic painting by C. Johnson* Those of you who have visited Connemara in the West of Ireland will recognize the kind of scenery depicted in this painting : wild mountains, glistening loughs and sparkling rivers under an oft-changing sky. The light conditions can change every twenty minutes or so, and it pays to work quickly. Acrylics are ideal ! Connemara Lough. Watercolour by C.Johnson This was painted from the car, as the weather was very uncertain. It had been a changeable day and rain was never far away. Nevertheless, the mountain and the light provided an opportunity which was too good to miss. *Low tide at Leenane, Co. Galway.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson. Killary Harbour is a sea inlet which forms a small part of the border between Counties Mayo and Galway. It is Ireland’s only fjord, caused by the scouring of the valley by glaciation and the subsequent flooding when sea levels rose. This area has certainly seen its hardships, especially during the disastrous potato famine of the mid-1840's. Fame and fortune have also come to the area in recent years with the making of the film The Field and the setting of the playThe Beauty Queen of Leenaun in the tiny village of Leenane, which is the viewpoint for this picture. "The Vital Spark", Lough Mask, Ireland. Watercolour by C.Johnson Still in the West of Ireland, this time on the shores of Lough Mask near Ballinrobe in Co.Mayo. This area is a very popular centre for anglers, and the annual World Cup Trout Fly Angling competition attracts anglers from a wide area, including the Continent. *The Early Bird.* A watercolour sketch by C. Johnson Just when you are at your most confident that you must be the first that day to be out on the Irish lakes there's always somebody who beats you to it. However, being second is not so bad when you can catch a glimpse of another boat sitting there on the limpid waters in the dawn mist of another promising day. A word of caution: the western lakes are not always as tranquil as this sketch suggests. Indeed, I remember all too well on one occasion praising the Lord in His infinite mercy for letting me get off the lake alive. That day was certainly not conducive to onboard watercolour sketching! *Lough Mask House. Watercolour by C. Johnson* Charles C. Boycott's name became a household word because of his strong sense of duty to his employer. In 1880 an Englishman and former British soldier, Captain Boycott was the estate agent of the Earl of Erne in the Lough Mask area of County Mayo. The earl was one of the absentee landowners who as a group held most of the land in Ireland. Boycott was chosen in the Autumn of 1880 to be the test case for a new policy advocated by Charles Parnell, an Irish politician who wanted land reform. Any landlord who would not charge lower rents or any tenant who took over the farm of an evicted tenant would be given the complete cold shoulder by Parnell's supporters. Boycott refused to charge lower rents and evicted the tenants who couldn't pay. At this point members of Parnell's Irish Land League stepped in, and Boycott and his family found themselves isolated—without servants, farmhands, service in shops, or even mail delivery. Boycott's name was suggested by the local parish priest as the term for this treatment, a term which was quickly adopted not only in English but also in other languages in Europe. Lough Mask House depicted here was Captain Boycott's residence in those troubled times. *Donegal Coast.* Watercolour sketch by C. Johnson The Irish climate, due in no small measure to the raging Atlantic winds buffeting the West coast, certainly can bring moments of doubt to the mind of the hopeful holidaymaker, especially visiting for the first time. On one notable occasion I was regaled by the forthright comments of a lady tourist enduring a soaking like the rest of us on a small boat on the Killarney Lakes: 'Bloody rain! And bloody Scotland is no better!' So much for the Celts, then. However, the weather changes so quickly (in all directions) as to provide respite and opportunities for the travelling artist. After all, I hear you say, they are* supposed to be watercolours, aren't they?* *Donegal Coast (2).* Watercolour sketch by C. Johnson Now then, Mrs Blackman, bet you wish you'd been here the week after! Not exactly the Riviera, but much, much more to my particular way of thinking...and far more stimulating if you just happen (?) to have your watercolour box with you. Anyway, any artist will tell you that you can make up your own weather if Nature doesn't provide exactly what you would like. One thing's for certain: you'll not see more paintable subjects than those you see in Ireland, even if it is through your flying suit goggles... Donegal Coast (3). An acrylic painting by C. Johnson Was this more like what you were hoping for, Mrs Blackman? The Irish coast and the western lakes can be a delight -- something to get your teeth into, if you want a diet of ever-changing light and colour. And, if I might be allowed to mis-quote you: bloody Scotland can be just as beautiful and enthralling. The weather is not always bad; trust me, I'm an enthusiastic painter ... Kerry. An acrylic painting by C. Johnson The beauty of the Kerry landscape is well-known, but it is not always easy to catch it with the sun on it. However, there are always paintable subjects at hand no matter what the weather. Here I was lucky to have a well-lit scene with an interesting cloud formation. Let us move now to the extreme West of Scotland, to the Outer Hebrides, where the powerful Atlantic rollers crash onto the rocky coast and gouge out vast sea lochs full of salmon and sea-trout. Indeed, the sea has long been the principal provider for the Gaelic-speaking people of these mystical islands. Sea Loch, South Uist, Outer Hebrides. Watercolour by C. Johnson Wild though this coast can be, there are other times when a magical, calm glow pervades the atmosphere. How exhilarating this can be for a visiting artist ! You feel that there is something quite spiritual about the whole experience.... Now back to the Mainland. Not far from the new bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh we find the little village of Dornie and, nearby, one of the most photographed buildings in Scotland..... *Eilean Donan Castle.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson *Eilean Donan Castle,* ancestral home of the Clan Macrae, stands on a rocky island at the junction of three sea lochs : Loch Long, Loch Duich and Loch Alsh. In this romantic setting, the castle possesses a strange dream-like quality. Held by the Jacobites in 1719, and garrisoned by a contingent of their Spanish allies, it was heavily bombarded by English warships and fell into ruin after an explosion in the castle’s gunpowder store. Eilean Donan remained a ruin until 1932, when Colonel MacRae-Gilstrap, a descendant of the original Macraes, restored it to its former condition. He enlisted the help of a local builder, Farquhar Macrae, who, not having access to any of the original plans, is said to have worked off plans he had drawn up based on a “vision” he claimed he had had of the castle’s former structure. In this painting, which on close examination is probably unlike any other picture of Eilean Donan, I am making a similar claim........... Heather, Hills and Water. An acrylic sketch by C. Johnson This acrylic sketch was painted on one of those crisp days in late September when the air takes on a tang that somehow seems out of tune with the brightness of the sky. It is the season of the heather and in the west of Scotland there are ample subjects for the visiting artist to paint. It is on these occasions that I sometimes begin a colour sketch with the intention of working it up afterwards in a more studied picture at home. However, rarely does the studio picture succeed in capturing the keen edge of the impending seasonal change, and I usually find that the spontaneity of the original colour sketch is more pleasing. *Loch Etive.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson This picture gives some idea of the beauty of this particular loch near Oban. The water of the loch is very shallow at this point and on this particular day it was calm and serene, with the water almost as luminous as the summer sky. What a very pleasant subject to paint! *Lochans on Rannoch Moor.* A watercolour sketch by C. Johnson I have always been inspired by that old song, Road to the Isles and I've always wanted to make the journey westward "by Tummel and Loch Rannoch", though not necessarily walking all the way, as in the song. Unfortunately, transport west peters out at Rannoch Station, a charming little spot in the middle of absolutely nowhere! If you don't know the place, just have a look at the map! Not feeling quite up to tramping all the way over Rannoch Moor, I thought I'd compromise and sketch some of the lochans instead... *They shall not pass!* A watercolour sketch by C. Johnson There is always something you can find to paint, even on a cold and frosty morning. Just look at how formal (and ineffectual) this post and rail fence is in the otherwise wild surroundings of the hills and the loch. Whatever happened to the fence on the righthand side of the track is a mystery. Swept away in a wild Highland charge, do you think? *Loch Rannoch.* A watercolour painting by C. Johnson I never tire of painting lakes, rivers and mountains. I consider them to be the ultimate expression of Nature's aesthetic creative power and an inspiration to the itinerant artist, no matter what his or her ability level. Why not get yourself out there and enjoy the beautiful scenery all around you in your own British Isles? Take your paintbox with you and let me display your work on this website for free. Moving now to the Lowlands and the Anglo-Scottish Border region.... *Low tide at Kirkcudbright Harbour. Watercolour by C. Johnson* Kirkcudbright enjoys a quiet, sheltered position in the estuary of the River Dee on the north Solway shore, about 25 miles west of Dumfries. The town has always been supported by a busy fishing trade. Behind the harbour the streets have housed generations of creative artists, a tradition maintained today by a flourishing colony of painters and craftworkers. This has led to it being called "The Artists' Town". "In Kirkcudbright one either fishes or paints", wrote Dorothy L. Sayers in the introduction to her crime novel, Five Red Herrings (1931), which she based on her regular visits to the town’s artistic community in the 1920’s. The tides pull water in and out of the shallow Solway, producing large rises and falls at Kirkcudbright Harbour. At high tide there is always plenty of activity with the fishing fleet, whereas at low tide the boats rest on their keels in the Solway mud. *Watersmeet.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson Any places where two or more stretches of water met were special places to the Ancient Celts (and to the Modern ones !). The Celts believed fervently in the power of the waters and the gods who inhabited them. The surface of a river or a lake was to them the gateway to the “Other World” and the confluence of two rivers was one of the “in-between” places where the presence of their river gods could be felt. The confluence of two rivers or streams, or the point where a river flows into a lake still holds a certain fascination for some, especially those who enjoy painting landscapes. Must be the Celt in us….. Loch Skene. An acrylic painting by C. Johnson My goodness, what a climb up past the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall to Loch Skene! There were times when I didn't think I'd make it, but it was certainly worth the effort. When you reach the top of the steep stony path, the waters of the loch take you by surprise and seem to meet you at eye-level. This visit was definitely one of the highlights of our Border outings this year, and one I can strongly recommend. St. Mary's Loch and Loch of the Lowes. An acrylic painting by C. Johnson Try the delightful drive in Autumn on the A 708 from Moffat to Selkirk and you will be really impressed by the beauty of Moffatdale and then by the twin lochs. While you are there, why not call in at the Tibbie Shiels Inn which is situated on the tiny isthmus between the two? You will be surprised at the list of former patrons, which includes Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thomas Carlyle, W.E. Gladstone, and possibly William Wordsworth. This sketch was painted with the statue of James Hogg almost looking over my shoulder. I like to think that the poet himself would have found my treatment of his beloved Borderlands at least sympathetic. *The Eildon Hills in Late Autumn. Watercolour by C. Johnson* One of my favourite places, the Eildon Hills near Melrose were beloved of the novelist, Sir Walter Scott. He had his own favourite view of them, though not the one depicted in this painting. There is no doubt that your first sight of the hills as you drive north from Jedburgh towards St. Boswells is awe-inspiring. I have always wanted to paint them when they are bathed in morning sunlight, but so far I haven't managed to be there at the right time. Perhaps this year..... *Country Lane in Roxburghshire.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson If you are a keen walker, then the Border Country is just the place for you, as these country lanes are a delight in themselves. If you are also a painter, you will find subjects galore at every turn of the road. Photograph a scene and you will take home a pleasant record of your visit. Paint the scene and it will be part of you forever. Why not give it a try ? *Lower Teviotdale.* An acrylic sketch by C. Johnson This is an example of a rapid sketch using acrylics. The Autumn colours were indicated first of all in broad blocks. It was my intention to paint the subject in a rather more subtle way when I got home. However, as often happens, my first flush of enthusiasm never developed into a studio painting. The more I looked at the sketch, which was completed in less than an hour, the more things I saw wrong with it (e.g. the large trees irritated me and would need to be modified or removed altogether) and so it was consigned to the 'pending' box. One of these days, perhaps ... Nevertheless, doing the sketch gave me a lot of pleasure at the time. Why not take your box of acrylics out there and give it a try? The English Lake District is world-famous for its magnificent scenery, which has been a source of inspiration to writers, poets, artists, and composers alike. The dilemma for any artist is : In such awesome surroundings, where does one start ? *Buttermere.* Watercolour by C. Johnson All the traditional landscape scenes have been painted so many times and are so familiar to everyone that it is a challenge to find something relatively new in order to depict just a little of the charm of this famous region of outstanding natural beauty. This challenge is one which is a joy to take up. Looking along towards Buttermere, you get the impression of being in danger of rolling down the slope, just as the stone walls seem to do. *Grange-in-Borrowdale.* An acrylic painting by C. Johnson. This colour sketch gives a glimpse of the village from a viewpoint which is not the one we usually see on postcards. The twin arches of the stone bridge are hidden behind the trees on the left. Keeping cars out of the picture is always a problem in the Lake District. At least this viewpoint gave me an opportunity to do just that. River Derwent in Winter. An acrylic painting by C. Johnson I don't like snow and I do my best to avoid going near the stuff if I can help it. Apart from the other problems it causes, snow obscures the natural beauty of the countryside, and, as you can gather, I'm agin it. Having said all this, here I've tried to get one back on it with this painting of one of the quieter reaches of the Derwent. Please forgive me for trying to make the snow look rather better than it deserves ! Middle reaches of the Tweed. An acrylic painting by C. Johnson OK, I know! I couldn't resist giving the snow one last chance. In my defence, I wish to enter a plea of guilty to succumbing to the interesting shapes of the trees, while almost freezing to death in the process. It certainly wasn't the snow itself that attracted me... *Derwent Reservoir.* Watercolour by C. Johnson When I was much younger, I used to fly fish for trout on the stretch of the River Derwent which was subsequently flooded to form the Derwent Reservoir. That was the end of a most enjoyable summer evening pastime. Now I can paint the scenery, which is even more enjoyable. *River West Allen, near Ninebanks, Northumberland.* Watercolour by C. Johnson This was once a lead-mining area and remains of the spoil are still visible in a lot of the valley.There are, however, plenty of rural scenes to paint. Little more than a stony stream in summer, the West Allen can be a raging torrent when heavy rains soak these windswept hills. ******************************************************************************************************* Northumbrian Castles -- a series by Pat Pierpoint** Pat is Secretary of the Clan Johnston/Johnstone Association (U.K.) (1) Warkworth Castle (2) Bamburgh Castle (3) Dunstanburgh Castle (1) Dunstanburgh Castle (2) (4) Lindisfarne Castle (1) Lindisfarne Castle (2) (5) Mitford Castle ******************************************************************************************************* Pajaro in Monterey Bay, California.** A pastel study by Liz Muzio ******************************************************************************************************** Another view of Pajaro*. A pastel study by Liz Muzio.* This was the view down on Pajaro Beach where the Pajaro river empties into the Pacific Ocean and looking south towards Moss Landing and Monterey. As the area is a bird sanctuary, you can see many sea birds flying around over the waves. ******************************************************************************************************** Birds on Pajaro Beach, California A pastel sketch by Liz Muzio This is a view of Pajaro Beach at Sunset in late February. The sandpipers were scurrying around on the sand at low tide, looking for food. The sun was setting and the light emanating from behind the impending storm clouds lent a pinkish, reddish hue to the entire scene. The birds were so engrossed in their activity, they did not seem to know or care that we were in their midst. ************************************************************************************************************** Is your surname one of the above, or are you descended from someone bearing one of these names ? If so, why not have a try at landscape painting ? We are happy to accord you free space in this Gallery to show your work. Please make sure your artwork is A4 or smaller, to allow scanning. You can submit it by e-mail or landmail. Any original artwork you choose to send by landmail will be returned safely to you. Also, do check out our Clan Johnston/Johnstone Association (U.K.) website at www.johnstoneclan.org.uk ******************************************************************************************************* Kilmaine@live.co.uk