As you step through the doors of The Sutton Gallery this month, you can almost hear the waves crashing against the rocks and feel the soft sand between your toes.
This is the effect that Julia McNairn White’s collection of stunning seascapes has, and it’s very immediate. She transports us to North Berwick and makes us wish we didn’t have to leave.
These works are remarkably different from those of hers which featured in the gallery’s Winter Show. Although still stunning in detail those ones had a darker tone. These ones are accomplished works of various sizes that aren’t afraid to show an unusual perspective or use contrasting colours to paint the scene.
McNairn White doesn’t always pick the most obvious view. She’s not trying to paint us a picture postcard. She likes to have something different dominating the frame. This can be in the form of a shadow or the yellow lichen that has taken over the cliff. They all take centre stage to give us a different perspective from the usual seascapes.
In 'Sea Swell' (above) she captures the power of the sea which gradually and effortlessly moves away into a calm ocean horizon. The perspective places you right at the top of the cliff looking down at the perilous waves below, and it’s a view worth admiring.
Her use of colour and shadows brings her paintings to life. The swirling grass in 'Sand Dunes' is bring it alive. The grass is like a wave in the sea.
The various brown shades representing the sand in 'Harbour' subtly show the remnants of the receding tide. The harbour is quiet yet the sand and sea are active and continuing unnoticed.
In this set of paintings, there is often the presence of people lurking somewhere in the frame. We see houses, boats, railings, cars and a buoy but never an actual person.
In 'Coastline' and 'Yellow Lichen (below)', McNairn White could have ignored the railing in the foreground. In 'Distant Hills', she could have ignored the intruding grass and just painted a peaceful beach, but that wouldn’t have been true to her style. These paintings aren’t about a stunning picturesque view; they are an honest portrayal of what she is seeing.
I admire these works because the artist is not trying to over-embellish the scene. These are faithful and inviting portrayals which make you want to go to North Berwick and experience them for yourself.
Until I have time to do that, I’ll return to Dundas Street and admire these stunning views instead.—Rhys Fullerton
Julia McNairn White’s Scottish Seascapes continues until Saturday 25 April at The Sutton Gallery (18a Dundas Street). Admission Free.
