Scottish artist Derek Robertson has shunned the bright lights of the city to display his latest solo art exhibition on the Isle of Skye.
From next month, admirers of the Fife-based artist will be able to view his biggest solo exhibition in the picturesque Gallery An Talla Dearg at Eilean Iarmain on the Sound of Sleat.
For five weeks, Mr Robertson will set up shop at the gallery meeting with visitors and continuing to paint in a temporary studio on site.
Mr Robertson has won several awards for his painting which usually depict Scottish wildlife scenes.
He has been showing his work at the gallery for 15 years and has proved popular with islanders and visitors.
The exhibition will also help the gallery raise its profile. Mr Robertson is keen to support rural galleries in smaller local communities which often struggle to compete with major galleries in central city locations.
The art market is realising the importance of rural galleries.
Mr Robertson said: “Many commercial galleries in London are reducing their footprint there and concentrating on areas where people live or where people go on holiday, and the pandemic has hastened this shift.
“Last year most of my exhibitions were cancelled but I was lucky that my show on Skye went ahead in the grace period before the autumn lockdown.”
Earlier this year, Mr Robertson was named as the winner of the Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award at the Royal Institute of Paintings in Watercolour in London. His newest collection entitled ‘Far a Bhios na h-Eòin’ (Where The Birds Are) takes inspiration from the abundant and impressive wildlife on the Isle of Skye.
He added “I’m delighted to be heading back to Skye. Gallery An Talla Dearg is probably the most beautiful gallery I’ve ever shown in, looking out on the bay where you can see seals, otters, dolphins, porpoises and sea eagles. These creatures find their way into the paintings.
“When I’m in Skye, I paint landscapes from that part of the island. I come back to the same views again and again, at different times of the day, different lights, different weather.”