The reason why Caithness’s open landscapes inspire artists from far and wide
Northern Drift by Monique Sliedrecht
Sharing one’s story is to be vulnerable and honest. This honesty can be relayed or portrayed in various forms.
The arts are a good example: dance, theatre, poetry, writing, painting, film, sculpture, singing… All are ways of communicating our emotions and thoughts about things, whether relationships, environment, historic events or incidents in our lives.
Artists draw on the richness and sometimes complexity of these subjects, often bringing their own raw emotions into play.
The Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch, said: “I do not believe in art which is not the compulsive result of man’s urge to open his heart.”
There is something about the unique and glorious openness of the far north which calls to the human spirit in this way. I have spoken to many visiting artists from all over the world about this.
When I drive to John O’Groats and pass Warth Hill, I’m always struck by the expansive view over the Pentland Firth and out towards the northern islands of Orkney. The ever-changing light and movement of sea and sky continuously alters the mood of the scene before me, so much so that I never get bored, only inspired!
A closer look in via a ferry ride across this temperamental northern stretch of water, and the bulk of islands and hills are accentuated even further in colour, shadow, and detail.
At the end of last month, I went to a talk by Orkney artist Laura Drever at Brown’s Gallery in Inverness. When she spoke about her work, currently on exhibition in the beautifully curated space, she would sometimes become overwhelmed with emotion as she described her subject matter or the inspiration behind her paintings. I felt the power of her vision through her words and feelings, as well as through her memorable paintings.
Having grown up in Orkney, Drever paints in a way that elicits a strong sense of place, as well as depicting the mystery and layers of all that makes up these special northern isles.
The mystery spurs on the desire to find what it is that makes Orkney, steeped in history, culture, artistry and a unique landscape, such a magnetic and unusual environment. And the heart of the artist is to keep searching. That search is continuous, a relentless quest for many, and Laura Drever is an intrepid explorer in the world of the visual arts.
Her pieces are poetic and evocative, layered and full of shimmering movement and dancing light. She weaves sea, sky, hillside and history together through a murmuration of intuitive marks against rich colour. The title of her show is very apt: “Limro” which means “phosphorescence on objects, caused by unusual atmospheric conditions”.
I travel along the north coast of Scotland on a regular basis. The other morning when I was going to Thurso, the sun came out and I was compelled to step out of the car at Dunnet Beach and stand in the beauty of the setting. The waves were rolling into shore in regular patterns and the salty sea hung like mist in the air. Limro.
The smell of autumn was carried on the wind, and the colours of the grassy dune reflected the season in all its wonder.
Once again, I felt the privilege and the call of this spacious landscape, which invites us to open our hearts freely and share our stories, our images and our feelings with our companions on life's journey.
• Monique Sliedrecht is an artist and blogger based at Freswick. Visit her blog at www.moniquesliedrecht.com
