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Introduction

I am a contemporary artist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. My my artistic practise is continually evolving and I feel very fortunate to have this creative journey which has only been possible with amazing support from my clients and suppliers.

 

I am currently working on private commissions and large format abstracts. My next project is "Aspects of Edinburgh - The Dene" which I will be exhibiting as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, from 19th to 28th August 2023 at the Dundas Street Gallery. The exhibition will comprise new Abstract, Figurative and Conceptual paintings.

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Edinburgh and my beautiful and enduring country of Scotland are a continual source of inspiration. They stimulate and energise me to convey their stories. Heritage projects such as “The Herring Lassies” or “Harris Tweed” allow me to recreate lost traditions and histories. My Edinburgh series create stories for the viewer with backgrounds and elements of my historic home city.

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I've categorised my work on the website into three basic categories; Figurative, Conceptual and Abstract which I feel best reflects their base elements.

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Abstract General Notes

My abstract art creation is influenced from both without and within. I am fascinated by the inexhaustible power of nature to produce an endless number of shapes and patterns in our ever-changing physical realm presenting an unlimited supply of material for each individuals unique interpretation.

 

From “Within”; the spiritual realm of the collective unconscious, the Tao and the Zen state provide an internal universe so rich in material it reflects the diversity of Nature itself.

 

Much has been written about “mu-shin” the state of “no-mind” in which thought, emotions and expectations do not matter, a zen state where true creation arises. A bridge between the conscious and subconscious. My objective is to bypass the filter of the conscious mind and create externalised paintings and drawings based on the rich source material of the unconscious.

 

Abstract Technique

My current approach is to work with both hands simultaneously. Whether it be with willow charcoal sticks, brushes or palette knives. This is how the paintings and drawings are executed.

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It feels like a duet of the hands, comparable to a pianist or drummer, both hands working independently without conscious effort yet together creating something in balance while both left and right brain structures are engaged.

 

Rhythm and energy are important facets of the drawing phase. This is where the hard lines are, the tectonic plates of the abstract narrative. The basis for all work that will follow.

 

The Viewer

The objective of the abstract work is to present a framework for the viewer to project their own internal vision. The viewer is the master of the narrative using their infinite universe within, sometimes consciously and others subconsciously.

 

Each canvas contains a potential adventure for the imagination, where at the macro level one inch of a painting containing random marks provides the building blocks of a unique personal story.

 

Taken as a whole, each painting can provide multiple interpretations which change with the viewers mood, insight or circumstance so that viewing a piece changes or continuously evolves.

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Davy Macdonald