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Raked gravel and bamboo groves
At the end of 99 I was awarded the Friends of the Royal Scottish Academy Artist's Bursary that enabled me to undertake a month-long research visit to Japan. Japanese art has always fascinated me, and it has influenced my painting since I was a student. My work was at a turning point when I won the award: the demands of part-time teaching, being a council member for the Society of Scottish Artists, and continuing to paint and exhibit, left little time for exploring new directions. The opportunity for a month of research and development in Japan was invaluable. I spent my time in Tokyo and Kyoto visiting galleries, temples and Zen gardens, as well as meeting Japanese artists and absorbing myself in the culture of the country – not speaking the language intensified the visual experience, and each day was a journey into the unknown. I was interested by the raked gravel and bamboo groves in temple gardens and the gold and silver symbolism found in Buddhist sculpture and Japanese screen painting, and these inspired a new body of work on my return. Back in my studio in Edinburgh, I found it was impossible to continue with the same routines in my painting. I am developing new...
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