Page 53 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

that lure of of of of what is on the the the the the the other side of of of of the the the the the the mountain has always been with us Here somewhere in in in in the the the the the the North the the the the the the idea of of of of day and and and night becomes muddled as as my eternal traveller drifts into the the the the the the shifting light and and and dark of of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hyperborean landscape 30 30 The Owls oil on panel 30 30 x x 19 5 cms 113⁄4 x x 73⁄4 ins
From a a a a a a a a a a a a a a very early memory of of my my Mother pointing down our our garden garden and saying ‘Look see it? On the the the the flagpole ’ For some unknown reason reason we had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a flag flag pole pole at the the the the the the bottom of of our our garden garden It It was was there when my my parents moved in in in in in and and such is the the the the the way I I I I suppose
they just never got around to to to to removing it it it it It It was was was was was quite normal to to to to me me me me for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a while it it it it seemed reasonable to to to to assume everybody had one Everything was was was was in in in in in in in in half light either very very very very early or or or very very very very late She was was was was pointing I I I I was was was was looking - and there with all of us staring intently at each other the the the the first time I ever ever saw an owl 31 The Sea Inside oil on panel 70 5 5 x x 91cms 273⁄4 x x 353⁄4 ins
I I I I I I think anyone who spends any any length of of time time in in in in in in fin nature gets so they have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hunger for it it it It It doesn’t matter if it’s the the the the the the garden the the the the the the mountains or or the the the the the the sea It’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a similar thing with painting I I I I I I I find If too much time time passes out of of the the the the the the studio then I I I I I I I start to to to get get get anxious I I have to get back 32 The Trap oil on panel 40 5 5 x x 51cms 16 x x 20 ins
Pieter Brueghel the the the Younger made made a a a a a a a a a a a a a good living copying the the the works works of his late father It seems he he he he he particularly liked to to copy copy ‘Winter Landscape with skaters and and bird trap’ from 1565 His workshop is is is is is is thought to to to to to have made made 45 versions but over 125 are known to to to to exist Success can be a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a very dangerous thing to to to to the creativity of of an an an an an artist It seemed quite apt to to to to me me that this was a a a a a a painting of a a a a a a trap 33 Longing oil on on paper 18 18 x x 18 18 cms 7 7 x x 7 7 ins
Just as as as as I I used Henry Henry Fonda Fonda from from John Ford’s My Darling Clementine Clementine for my painting painting Stranger (cat 15) so I I made this painting painting of o of the the eponymous Clementine Clementine Clementine The film ends in in in in in in in in in in classic western fashion as as as as Henry Henry Fonda Fonda says from from atop his horse: “Ma’am I I sure like that name Clementine Clementine Clementine ” He He rides off into the the the the the the the dust of o of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a black and and and white Monument Valley as as as as Clementine Clementine stands there there on on on the the the the the the the the the hilltop I I watch westerns all all the the the the the the the the the time and and and and there’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a certain sadness only they seem to to to get right A sort of of of of bittersweet something like the the the the the the the the the the end of of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dream Despite the the the the the the the the the the grainy black and and and white of of of of that scene the the the the the the the the the the memories of of of of my time in in in in Monument Valley made the the the the colour quite vivid I long to return there again someday 34 Rider oil on panel 30 5 5 x x 40 5 5 cms 12 x16ins
As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a huge fan of of of the the the the western genre I’ve always been interested in in in in in in in in the the the the idea of of of the the the the prospector There’s something something about about it it for me me me me that is is similar to to to to to painting something something just waiting there to to to to to be be be uncovered It reminds me me me me of of of of of what Michelangelo said about about about his his sculptures being inside the the the the the the the block of of of of of marble and he he he he he he he he he only has to to to to set them free I I have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a book book of of of of of old old photographs about about the the the the the the the Klondike gold rush which occurred at at at the the the the the the the end of of of of of the the the the the the the 19th century this this painting could almost be be from that book book One of of of of of the the the the the the the great prospecting stories is is is is The The Treasure of of of The The Sierra Madre by the the the mysterious novelist B Traven It opens with this: “The treasure treasure treasure which you you you you think not worth taking trouble and and pains to find this one one alone is is the the the real treasure treasure treasure you you you you are are longing for for all your life The The glittering treasure treasure treasure you you are hunting for day and and night lies buried on on on on the the the other side of that hill yonder ” 35 All in in a a a Hot and Copper Sky oil on paper 23 x x 15 5 5 5 cms 9 x x 6 ins
Taking its title from Coleridge’s Rime of of the the the the Ancient Mariner this work on on paper spent a a a a a a a a a a a long time languishing in in in in fin in in the the the the doldrums of of my plan chest drawer But then those final marks came suddenly and and spiritedly like the the the the the rising breeze in in in in fin in in that that poem and it seemed that ‘swiftly swiftly swiftly flew the the ship ’ 36 Erbarme Dich acrylic & oil on panel 30 x x 23 cms 113⁄4 x x 9 ins
Time can can create a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a very beautiful effect effect on on on old paintings it it it can can add something which the the painter didn’t anticipate I’ve often noticed those exquisite lines of of of of craquelure particularly across white areas for for for some some reason: an an an an an an effect effect of of of of drying on on on the the medium of of of pigments which which I have replicated here in in in in in artificial form My praying man kneels begging for for for mercy from from an an an unseen power which which may as well be be time itself (The title comes from the famous aria by J S Bach)
37 Limewash oil on panel 46 x x 38 cms 18 x x 15 ins
It was was very therapeutic creating this surface - - repeatedly adding paint paint removing paint paint over over and over over - - until the the wall was was built I I like the the the look of of of this kind of of of thing in in in in in in in in the the the natural world: peeling paint paint paint and decay A beauty of of of impermanence what the the the Japanese would call ‘wabi-sabi ’ It was almost a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a shame to paint paint paint someone painting over it 38 Man O’ War (after Frans Huys) oil on canvas over panel 30 30 5 5 x x 30 30 5cms 12 12 x12 ins
This painting was inspired by by a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a series of of of prints of of of sailing ships by by the printmaker (and Bruegel collaborator) Frans Huys These wondrous historical records are more like beautiful portraits than anything else: classifying various forms of of of vessel