Marion Thomson
Marion Thomson was born in 1958.
The unique landscape of the Scottish west coast and its many islands have always attracted me. Each of these islands have their own character and outlook. Over the years I have walked or cycled most of them from Islay in the Southern Hebrides to Lewis in the Outer Hebrides there is a sense of something different in these islands, the pace of life and the friendly people and their lifestyle.
On the islands you can experience all the seasons in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. Weather passes quickly and no one day starts or finishes the same as another. The quality of light here is also of a more intense nature, bouncing of a glittering sea, making the colours of the big sky,the machair and mountains seem more alive and complex.
In recent years I have made repeated trips to Islay, Iona, the Uists and Harris. It goes without saying that Iona has always been a favourite with artists and I am no exception. It has those special qualities an artist looks for, colour, light and visual interest. Mull and the smaller islands as a backdrop the ‘North End’ of Iona is a great spot to paint from. Islay is a wilder place with many lonely coastlines to intrigue the painter.
Although I spent a good few years on the Isle of Lewis working for the Gaelic drama ‘Machair’, I never made it down to the string of island that make up Eriskay, the Uists and Berneray until a couple of years ago. Endless beaches with a mountain backdrops, huge skies and a still vibrant crofting community inspire many of my paintings. From Berneray I can pop over to Harris with it's rocky landscapes and white beaches.
Equipped with paints, sketchbooks, sketching easel and camera and the hope of some varied weather, blue skies are lovely but sometimes it’s good to have a bit of a storm! I then begin gathering material that I can then take back to my studio. I will walk and cycle the coastlines stopping to sketch and paint on the way. I always visit my favourite painting spots which are many but foray into new areas to find the unexpected. I enjoy the whole experience of being there from the amazing birdlife and plants to the ancient remains of past settlements.
Back in the studio I can start distilling my material into a finished work. I prepare my own canvases in order to have a surface which I feel comfortable painting on. Working on several paintings at the one time, it can take a few weeks before I am happy with the final result. Using both palette knives and brushes in a piece and introducing layers of colour and texture as I go helps me recreate that feeling of light and colour from the islands.
1976-78 Glasgow School of Art, 1 year Foundation course, 1 year Drawing and Painting
1978-81 Glasgow University, M.A. History of Fine Art, Drama, Film and Television
1981-99 Working as Freelance Costume Designer in theatre, film and tv, painting alongside
Exhibited with Laing landscape competitions
1999-2000 Solo show with the Harbour Arts centre in Irvine
R.G.I. show in McLennan Galleries
Mixed winter show with the Riverside Gallery, Stonehaven
2001 Solo show with the The Firth Gallery,Edinburgh
2002 Exhibiting with scotlandart.com
Mixed show with the Gold Gallery, Edinburgh
Heinzel Gallery Christmas Show, Aberdeen
Compass Gallery Christmas Show, Glasgow
2003 Solo show with The Compass Gallery at The House for an Art Lover, Glasgow
Glasgow Art Fair, Compass Gallery
Gold Gallery, Edinburgh
Paisley Art Institute annual exhibition
Mansfield Gallery, Glasgow, West End Festival, Landscape Exhibition
Gallery Heinzel, Aberdeen, Summer Show
Compass Gallery,Cabinet paintings
Compass Gallery , Winter Show
Heinzel Gallery, Winter Show
Mansfield Gallery, Winter Show
Scotlandart.com Winter Show
2004 Glasgow Art Fair, Mansfield Gallery
Heinzel Gallery, Summer Show
. Mansfield Gallery, Landscape Show
Scotlandart Glasgow Group Show
Scotlandart Edinburgh Group Show
Compass gallery Winter Show
Heinzel Gallery Winter Show
Mansfield Gallery Winter Show
Scotlandart.com Winter Show
2005 Scotlandart.com, Glasgow Art Fair
Scotlandart.com group exhibition ‘Sail Away’
Summer exhibition, Mansfield Gallery
Summer exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Exhibiting with Thompson’s Marylebone, London
Edinburgh Art Fair with scotlandart.com
Dublin Art Fair with scotlandart.com
Compass, Winter Show
Heinzel Winter Show
Scotlandart.com, Winter Show
2006 Blackheath Gallery, London, Mixed Show
Thompson’s Marleybone, London, Scottish Show
Scotlandart.com, Modern Scottish Landscapes, two person show
Mansefield Park Gallery, 8x8 mixed show
Karen Taylor Fine Art / scotlandart.com mixed show, London
Gallery One / scotlandart.com mixed show, Sussex
Edinburgh Art Fair, scotlandart.com
Lillie Art Gallery, Milngavie Christmas Show
Smithy Gallery, Strathblane Christmas Show
Scotlandart.com Christmas Show
2007 Smithy Gallery ‘Out of the Mist’ group show
Paisley Art Institute Annual Exhibition
Kranenburg FineArt, Oban Summer Show
Thompson’s Marleybone
Smithy Gallery, Summer Show
Tolquhon Gallery, Ellon, Summer Show
Smithy Gallery Autumn Show
Scotlandart Christmas Show
Smithy Gallery Winter Show
RGI Annual Show
Lime Tree Gallery, Old Melford “Caledonia”
Red Rag Gallery, The Scottish Show
Smithy Xmas Show
2009 ‘Warming Up’ Smithy Gallery
Spring Exhibition Smithy Gallery
Paisley Art Institute Annual Exhibition
The Affordable Art Show Smithy Gallery
‘Aqua’ Scotlandart
‘Ship to Shore’ Scotlandart
Aspect Prize 2009 show
The Lime Tree Gallery, Bristol, Water, Water
Scotlandart Christmas Show
Smithy Gallery Christnas Show
. Ealain Gallery Christmas Show
2010 Smithy Gallery ‘Affordable Art Show’
Smithy Gallery Spring Show
Paisley Art Institute Annual Exhibition
Lime Tree Gallery ‘Highlands and Islands’
Red Rag Gallery ‘Scottish Show’
Kranenburg Fine Art Summer Show
Scotlandart Christmas Show
Smithy Gallery Christmas Show
Lime Tree Winter Show
2011 Affordable Art Show Smithy Gallery
Postcard Exhibition Scotland Art
‘Caledonia’ Scotlandart
Summer Show Smithy Art Gallery
Tolqhoun Gallery Summer Show
Lime Tree Gallery Bristol Summer Show
Smithy Gallery Christmas Show
Lime tree Christmas Show
Tolqhoun Gallery Christmas Show
2012 Postcard Exhibition scotlandart.com
Affordable Art Show Smithy Gallery
Summer Show Lime Tree Gallery
Summer Show Heinzel Gallery
Summer Show Tolqhoun Gallery
Winter Show Lime Tree Gallery
2012 Christmas Show Tolqhoun Gallery
Winter Show Smithy Gallery
Christmas Show Heinzel Gallery
Christmas Show The Gatehouse Gallery
2013 Affordable Art Fair Smithy Gallery
Glasgow School of Art Alumni scotlandart.com
Heinzel Galery Summer Show
Smithy Gallery Summer Show
Lime Tree Gallery ‘Water, Water’
Macmillan Cancer Research Auction, Bonhams, Edinburgh
Scotlandart.com Christmas Show
Smithy Gallery Affordable Art Show
Lime Tree Gallery Christmas Show
2014 Chelsea Art Fair with Lime Tree Gallery
Affordable Art Exhibition, Smithy Gallery
May Array Lime Tree Gallery, Bristol
Spring Exhibition Tolquhon Gallery
Summer Exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Summer Exhibition, Lime Tree Gallery, Old Melford
Summer Exhibition, Lime Tree Gallery, Bristol
Summer Exhibition, scotlandart.com
Macmillan Cancer Support exhibition at Bonhams, Edinburgh
‘The Lonely Sea and the Sky’, Tolquhon Gallery
Christmas Exhibition, Tolquhon Gallery
Winter Exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Christmas Show, Fotheringham Gallery
2015 25th Anniversary Summer Show, Gallery Heinzel
Still Life Exhibition, Fotheringham Gallery
Lime Tree Gallery, Summer Exhibition
Summer Exhibition, Tolquhon Gallery
Summer Exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Scotlandart.com
Christmas Exhibition, Lime Tree Gallery
Winter Exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Christmas Exhibition, Tolquhon Gallery
2016 Spring Exhibition, Tolquhon Gallery
‘Colour’, Lime Tree Gallery
‘12 Scottish Artists’, Lime Gallery
Summer Exhibition, Tolquhon Gallery
Summer Exhibition, Gallery Heinzel
Summer Group Show, Leiper Gallery
The Affordable Art Show, Smithy Gallery
Art for Care, Marie Curie
Autumn Show, The Green Gallery