Why Scotland's Landscapes Seem Mythic: And How I explored That Magic in My Paintings

When I think of the day trips I made to the Isle of Sky to see the sights of the Scottish Highlands I think about classic British novels that spoke of the wonder of the moody highlands - the Heather lining the moors, the crashing waves in the cold Northern ocean, the towering cliffs look over vast land. When I got to see it in person I realized those novels weren’t exaggerating. The landscape was magical and breathtaking.

In my paintings: Looking Out over the Quiaring Mountain Pass, Old Man Storr, The Winding Roads of the Quiaring Mountain Pass, and Looking Toward Brothers Point I wanted to paint those scenes and show the viewer the beauty of the scenes.

Top Left: Looking Out Over The Quiraing Mountain Pass Top Right: Old Man Storr

Bottom Left: The Winding Roads Of The Quiraing Mountain Pass Bottom Right: Looking Towards Brothers Point

From the dramatic views to the bright colors and the perspective of the viewer in the painting you can tell what it was like to stand there and see the sights in person. My hope in creating these pieces is to show some of that awe and share it with the viewer, hoping they would be inspired to see it as well.