Painting Scotland’s rainforest

Painting the woods en plein air

An exhibition celebrating Scotland’s rainforest is currently on display at Resipole Studios Fine Art Gallery, Loch Sunart. The exhibition features the work of Inverness-shire based artists Jonathan Shearer and Michelle Knight, who were inspired by time spent immersed in the temperate rainforests of Sunart and Morvern.

From their base on the southern edge of Loch Teacuis in Morvern, the pair worked largely on location in all weather conditions, exploring rarely trodden paths, and crossing raging burns full of vast volumes of water flowing from the hills, in order to reach remote woodlands and bays.

It was these secluded, ancient living landscapes free of human activity, where ‘gnarled and twisted oak remnants shaping themselves to cope with the elemental nature of the western seaboard’, that truly captured their imagination. The resulting works – drawings in pastel, watercolour and mixed media – depict densely populated woodland, ancient fossils, hidden waterfalls and remote bays.

Fossil Burn, mixed media

Jonathan says: “Over the years of painting the Scottish landscape, I became aware of the barren nature of the Highlands, and the demise of the Scottish forests.

“It was through meeting Anna Raven and staying at Ferry cottage at Ardtonish that I became more aware of the temperate rainforests of the west coast. Myself and another artist friend began exploring and painting/drawing these incredible ancient woods, discovering all the wonderful varieties of mosses and lichens plus the variety, from the oak woods to hazel woods.

“As an artist, the wonderful atmosphere, light and overwhelming awareness of all the organic lifeforms co-existing was visually exciting.

“I found drawing and painting in these incredible woods so rewarding and found they became even more alive in the rain. The strange other-worldliness became fascinating to paint.

“For several years I have been tree planting and become more and more interested in varieties of trees in Scotland. Recently, I’ve been focusing on trees surviving in mountain gorges where the deer can't access them, and seeing the potential tree coverage there could be in the mountains.

“Over the last couple of years I have been locating remnants of Scotland’s rainforest and painting and drawing them, most recently Talladale Gorge, Loch Maree.

“By painting these woods I hope to bring more awareness to people of these incredible places to help preserve and protect them. I came to them from a point of ignorance and it has been fascinating to see how many other people are completely unaware of Scotland’s rainforests. Most assume rainforests are elsewhere in the world.”

Oak tree drawing Lochaline

For both artists, it’s the act of walking, drawing and painting in the Scottish landscape that has allowed them to develop an intimate connection with the wild places of Scotland.

Jonathan has garnered a reputation for being an ‘extreme painter’, who frequently hikes or paddles to some of Scotland’s most remote locations and peaks, whether that be in snow or sunshine, in order to capture the dramatic landscape firsthand.

Michelle, who is also a well-established art tutor and professional artist working in a variety of mediums, is equally as inspired by being in the Highland landscape, from where all her work emerges.

Atlantic Remnants is on display in the main gallery space at Resipole Studios until Friday 24 November.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am – 5pm; Sunday, 11am - 4pm; closed Mondays. All artwork and exhibitions are available to view online at www.resipolestudios.co.uk