Orbost Gallery, Isle of Skye, until 16 December 2006

Coll MacAllister by Andrew McMorrine

The exhibition currently showing at the Orbost Gallery in Skye’s Duirinish area is of recent work by the Dunvegan based artist, Andrew McMorrine. Andrew’s roots are in Colonsay and Galloway and he spent many years teaching in South Uist prior to his relocation to Skye nearly a quarter of a century ago. Clearly these places and their people are close to Andrew’s heart and his work has drawn heavily on them. Part of the exhibition is also given over to work from his frequent trips to Tuscany in Italy. This is Andrew’s first local exhibition since he left his post as head of Portree High School’s Art department though he has been exhibiting regularly in Kirkcudbright along side James MacAulay, former arts advisor for Comhairle nan Eilean.

This is an impressive exhibition for many. Containing nearly 70 different items the sheer size of the exhibition is, in itself, remarkable. It leaves the viewer in no doubt about the considerable work which went into setting up the exhibition. Similarly impressive is the diversity of media represented, ranging from pastel to prints with oils, stone carvings, lithographs and water-colours in between. Also included are beautifully made boxes filled with family items and military memorabilia – items such as hide in everyone’s attic – and here they come to life with haunting power. The box containing his father’s First World War service was particularly striking, and poignant, holding as it does such things as spurs, postcards and faded photographs. But what is most impressive is the quality of Andrew’s work across these diverse media. In all he captures beauty and character in whatever he depicts, whether it be landscapes, cityscapes, wildlife or island faces. The exhibition is a delight and Orbost Gallery must be commended for hosting this ambitious project which might help to bring light and warmth to this dark, blustery end of year.

Portraits of island faces were a particular feature of Andrew’s earlier work and some of them feature in this exhibition. They are all detailed and sensitive studies of island personalities in the context of their different island landscapes. In this exhibition it is wonderful to see them reproduced as small prints. My favourite, mainly because I knew the gentleman personally, is of Dòmhnall Thormoid Bhàin or Donald MacKay from Ardivachair in South Uist. Donald looks out from this image with a serene and slightly amused expression on his face and behind him is the bent grassland of the machair and the shore. Others include Murdo Maclean of Lewis and Coll MacAllister of Colonsay. These prints give a glimpse of a vanished generation – all depicted were born in 19th century.

Among Andrew’s most recent works are pieces of art inspired by names of pipe tunes. Immediately captivating is the image depicting Donald MacLeod’s celebrated tune, ‘Cockerel in the Creel’. Apparently, Donald’s granny made sure the cockerel kept the 4th commandment by imprisoning him under a creel on the Sabbath. The picture captures the cockerel’s rage exquisitely and in the distance the good folk of the township make their way to worship. Andrew’s interpretation of the tune, ’The Geese in the Bog’ both as a stone carving and as a charcoal drawing strikes a different and perhaps more wild and sombre chord. These items are simply beautiful. The tune inspired items will form part of a larger exhibition of similarly inspired work to be curated next year.

Now working full-time as an artist Andrew’s artistic productivity has increased and the results grace this exhibition. A series of such images from the south end of Skye looking towards the Cuillin or Blaven underline his facility for depicting landscapes and in dealing with the fantastically variable light enjoyed in the islands and the north-west Highlands. One print from an original pastel showing light streaming through broken cloud over Blaven is hugely impressive but there are many memorable images in this series.

The sum of all these, combined with Andrew’s stunning images from Colonsay, Galloway and Italy, all expertly and sensitively framed by Paul Kershaw of Orbost Gallery, makes for a superb visual experience.

Andrew currently engaged in work for several forthcoming exhibitions in South Uist, Colonsay, Odinstal in Germany’s Rhineland and another based on his Italian works planned for Edinburgh.

© Cailean Maclean, 2006

Links

• Orbost Gallery