South Uist

South Uist

Tuesday 8 February 2011

The psychology of Eastern light - Initial thoughts


The question is there a psychological effect on landscape artists by Eastern light? or artists of a certain psychological temperament drawn to paint in the bluer, darker influences of the East.
Having spent many years exploring and enjoying the light of Western shore, West Cornwall, the Atlantic shore of Donegal, the coasts of the Uists in the Scottish Western Isles even though many of these locations attract artists in their droves to capture and utilise that “special” white light, especially in St Ives and the Big Sky. I have only recently drawn to the  darker, bluer light of the East coast of Scotland.
I have found it personally difficult to capture the beauty of the bone white sands, the azure seas as they hold nothing back, stunning and spectacular the scenery almost revels in its own immediacy.
I find the reluctant mystery of the East coast captures the imagination, a reluctance to reveal in the blues and greys of the sea and sky. More unforgiving, a coast inhabited by more ghosts.
Being as artist is about the journey rather than a destination, one foot after the other I will continue to attempt to capture some of that mystery of the Eastern light.
Ian

1 comment:

  1. Interesting. At first I was expecting that your reference to "Eastern Light" was about the way that light is typically portrayed in Asian art as opposed to Western art. I like the way that you've captured the more silvery aspect of this light as opposed to the gold of the west.

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