It has been a very long time since John Lowrie Morrison made a habit of copying the pictures on chocolate boxes which his mother brought back to her Maryhill home from her workplace in Glasgow.
And an ocean of water has passed under the bridge since he met his wife Maureen while he was doing a student job in the studio of a local carpet factory.
Yet, despite decades of teaching and travelling round Scotland, marvelling at the country’s resplendent landscapes and wild rugged scenery, patience has proved a virtue for the artist who is now commonly called Jolomo.
He has never relinquished his passion for portraying the often mystical and mesmerising qualities of Scotland’s rugged coastline and his striking works have attracted the attention of many A-list figures, including pop stars Sting, Madonna and Simon Le Bon, actress Sophia Loren and chef Rick Stein.
And now, the best-selling maestro with a philanthropic streak, is highlighting a collection of his new paintings in a typically vibrant solo exhibition at the Tolquhon Gallery in Tarves from today until April 29.
He works at a furious pace
Jolomo taught art for more than 20 years at Lochgilphead High School and only became a full-time artist in 1996 when he was in his late 40s.
It was a bold move, a giant step into the unknown, but during the last quarter of a century, he has poured his heart and soul into his myriad enterprises, working at a frenetic pace even as commissions and plaudits have arrived in equal measure.
He was awarded an honorary degree by Abertay University in 2009, was the recipient of an OBE for his services to art and charity in Scotland and has championed young artists, both in Scotland and further afield, by launching the Jolomo Award in 2007.
As a teenager, he was an aficionado of his compatriot, the artist Joan Eardley, who produced many stunning works in the north-east coastal village of Catterline, but died of cancer far too young at just 42 in 1963.
Then, even while Beatlemania was devouring everything in its wake, and as he was studying at Glasgow School of Art, the youngster who had attended Sunday school as a child was transfixed by a powerful religious experience when he visited the Tron Church to watch Cliff Richard.
He recalled: “Suddenly, your eyes are opened and you realise, gosh, this is the way I should live for the rest of my life.”
And that’s exactly what he has done.
Further information about the exhibition can be found at www.tolquhon-gallery.co.uk
