Page 50 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

Complete Catalogue of Paintings
1 1 1⁄2 1⁄4 As Above So Below oil on panel 90 x x 120 cms 351⁄2 x x 471⁄4 ins
(see pages 16-17 )
2 2 2 Atlas of The Human oil on canvas 96 5 x x 122cms 38 x x 48 ins
(see pages 6-7 )
3 3 Life of The Artist oil on canvas 122 x x 239 cms 48 x x 94 ins
(see pages 8-11 )
4 Low and High Countries oil on panel (triptych) 90 90 90 90 x x x x x x 70 70 / / / / 90 90 90 90 x x x x x x 90 90 90 90 / / / / 90x70 cms 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 271⁄2 271⁄2 ins
ins
/ / / / 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 / / / / 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 271⁄2 271⁄2 ins
ins
(see pages 22-25 )
5 Pale Mountain oil varnish & paper on panel 30 x17cms 113⁄4 x x 6 3⁄4ins
This image came from another I I had had been working on on on the the the painting Night on on on The Mountain also part of of of this this exhibition and and and the the the the the the surface surface of of of of of that had had become overladen with paint paint paint I I I used this this this sheet of of of of of paper to lift some paint paint paint from from the the the the surface surface and and and the the the the line of of of of of this this pale mountain mountain was the the the the result so so through a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a process of of of of of sealing and and and layering I I made a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a second painting A mirror opposite of of that dark mountain mountain 6 Lonesome Pine oil varnish & paper on on panel 30 x x 20 5cms 113⁄4 x x 8ins
This mountain view - - perhaps seen as though through through a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a John Ford doorway in in in in in in in an an old western - - felt to to to to me me like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a story waiting to to to to to begin begin It went through through through several iterations and and eventually I I I found that lonesome pine beginning to to to to to appear through through the the the the painting process and and so so I I I just let it it it it grow there it it it it became the the the the unexpected hero of the the the the story 7 The Alchemist oil on canvas 100 x130cms 391⁄2 x x 511⁄4 ins
(see pages 12-13 )
8 8 Leech Gatherer oil on panel 23 5 5 x x 20 5cms 91⁄4 x x 8 8 ins
I I was thinking about the the the the poem Resolution and and Independence by by Wordsworth in in in in in which he he he he he he recounts his meeting with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lowly leech leech gatherer gatherer whilst out out walking The gloomy poet is is is is buoyed up and and and renewed by by the the the the the attitude of the the the the the leech leech gatherer gatherer who has long accepted his unfortunate position position in in life: old and and poor but with a a a a a a a a a a a cheerful disposition 9 9 The Sun in in a a Mist oil on panel 23 x x 31cms 9 9 x121⁄4 ins
When I I was was very young there was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a painting hanging at the the the the the the the bottom of of of the the the the the the the stairs in in in in in in in in our house of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a large wave wave crashing onto the the the the the the the the the the shore with the the the the the the the the the the sun setting behind behind it it it it it it I I I can still see it it it it it it now the the the the the the the the the the glowing blue of of of of of the the the the the the the the the the wave wave crowned
by by a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a white curl of of of of surf illuminated by by the the the the the the the the light from behind behind I I I I would sit at at at at the the the the the the the the bottom of of of of the the the the the the the the stairs and and look into it it it it it it trying to to to to understand how the the the the the trick was was done I I I realise I’ve painted painted that that or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a version of of of of that that many times: playing with what what is is is is right and and what what is is is is wrong pictorially This was was was painted painted in in in in in in the the middle of of our recent claustrophobic lockdown Summer when I was longing to to see a a a a a a a wave 10 Cold Country oil on panel 30 x x 40 5cms 113⁄4 x x 16ins
After years of of of looking at at his work those rural villages seen in in in in in in in Bruegel’s Bruegel’s paintings now feel quite familiar to me me me like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a memory of of of of somewhere visited in in in in in in in childhood Despite the seeming warmth of of of of Bruegel’s Bruegel’s created world in in in in in in in reality it it it it it must have been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a terribly difficult time to be be alive In my Cold Country that idealism of of of village life is is is quietly marred by a a a a a similar reality 11 11 Southern Reach oil on canvas 30 x x 23 5cms 113⁄4 x x 91⁄4 ins
“We must always remember with gratitude and and and and admiration the the the the first sailors who steered their vessels through storms and and and and mists and and and and increased our knowledge of of the the the lands of of ice in in the the the South ” - Roald Amundsen
12 12 Nostalgia oil oil & oil oil pastel on panel 34 x x 30 5cms 131⁄2 x12 ins
I I I realised quite late that that that nostalgia was playing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a big part in in in in this this exhibition exhibition I I I suppose that that that may come from thinking so so much about the work work of of of Pieter Bruegel Bruegel where this this exhibition exhibition began I’ve heard it it it it it said by historians that that that Bruegel’s work work is is is is is itself itself very nostalgic those those rural village scenes he he he he so so often depicts are are are probably those those of of of of of his his his parents parents or or or or or or even grandparents One of of of of my favourite films is is is Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky itself itself a a a a a a a a a a a a a a study of of of of nostalgia and and memory I