Crinan Canal inspires top Scottish painter

One of Scotland’s top artists is celebrating the beauty of the Crinan Canal in a new exhibition in Lochgilphead.

 

On Saturday afternoon, John Lowrie Morrison OBE (known as ‘Jolomo’), who lives in Tayvallich, unveiled 30 new paintings in Blossoms and Boats - The Crinan Canal at the Archway Gallery.

 

John said: 'I’ve really enjoyed doing these paintings. I’ve been painting the Crinan Canal for more than 50 years and I can’t get it out of my system!

 

 

'A lot of artists in history have gone back to paint the same places again and again and always find something new. No two paintings are ever the same because I like to try different things.

 

'I paint what’s round about me, whether that’s here in Tayvallich, or the Crinan Canal, or Stornoway, it’s all grist to the mill.'

 

John first painted the Crinan Canal when he was a student at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1960s. He later moved to the area and settled in Tayvallich with his wife and family, working as head of art and design at Lochgilphead Academy before becoming the art and education adviser for Strathclyde Region until 1997 when he made the decision to paint full-time.

 

Since then, his signature style of expressionist landscape painting in high-key colour has made him one of Scotland’s best-selling artists. His paintings are in the collections of celebrities such as Sting, Madonna and Simon Le Bon, and of HRH The Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.

 

As well as landmarks such as the red and white Crinan lighthouse, Puddler’s Cottage and the Dunardry Locks, many of the new paintings feature the springtime cherry blossom along the canal.

 

 

John said: 'Quite a few people have already said to me that they didn’t know there was so much blossom along the canal, but there is! I just love painting it.

 

'I started this series when I saw the Norfolk wherry on the canal, with its ochre and white sails. It stopped me in my tracks and I thought, "What is that?". I knew I had to paint it. The rest of the paintings developed from there.'

 

Wilma Meikle, owner of the Archway Gallery with her husband Ian, said: 'We are delighted to be hosting another show of John’s work at the gallery. He always does a beautiful local show for us, and the paintings this year are particularly stunning.

 

'I think you can tell the places which are special to John because he paints them so beautifully.'