Moray students have thrown the doors open to their studios to showcase their lastest creations.
More than 30 artists at the Moray School of Art put their paintings and drawings on display yesterday.
Visitors walked through the workshops to gaze at the projects with many stopping to ask the artists about their inspirations.
The creations of students working side-by-side ranged from bright memories from decades ago in Africa and the Mediterranean coast to dark depictions of futuristic animals.
Gordon Cooper, 22, originally from Glasgow, showed intricate drawings of fantasy-style beings, including a “Cosmomoth” and a portrait that appeared to show an elephant and giraffe overlapping.
He said: “I’m interested in the whimsical and the fantastical, keeping my mind open and seeing where the details go.
“Earth, space and nature are all connected, which is something I try to keep in my mind.
“I like to use pencil but I’ve started to use UV paint to make some parts glow in the dark.”
Students continued work on their latest projects while enthusiasts inspected previous canvases that had been hung on the walls.
Brian Clements, 72, decided to study art following a career in academia and as a business consultant who encouraged entrepreneurs.
Yesterday, the Muir of Ord resident was working on his latest recreation of a photograph of a holidaymaker at a Mediterranean villa.
Previous versions of the image hung in the Highlander’s mini studio alongside depictions of the River Nile and Dingwall Museum.
He said: “The great bit about painting is that it’s like photoshop but without having to go through a computer. You can recreate things the way you want to see them.
“One thing that fascinates me is decay. There are lovely old boats at Burghead Harbour. The old wood and rust is beautiful but there is a sadness there too. These were valued at one point but have now seemingly been discarded.”
Muriel Hughes, 28, from Glasgow, used dolls encased within shoe boxes to inspire her portraits of isolation.
She said: “I use the dolls figuratively rather than looking at real people then started using the structures to explore ideas. People think they are the finished work, but they’re almost more of a prop.”
