Uninhabited houses tell a story of a time and place, says Caithness artist
Caithness-based artist Jane McDonough enjoys painting landscapes that she feels emotionally connected to. In many cases these feature isolated, unoccupied houses, and she finds herself wondering who lived there and what kind of lives they led.
Jane’s fascination with the deserted homes of the far north has led her to team up with photographer Angus Mackay for Abandoned, an exhibition that opens at Waterlines heritage centre in Lybster next weekend and runs three days a week until just before Christmas.
“Having the opportunity to work collaboratively with Angus has really inspired me to create pieces of work that I am proud to showcase in the Abandoned exhibition,” Jane said.
“My pieces complement Angus’s work, and are a collection of my favourite abandoned houses in Caithness and Sutherland.
“I have produced some paintings on canvas for the exhibition and I paint using acrylics. I’ve been working on some pen drawings that will be framed for the exhibition too. I also have a small number of canvas prints, limited-edition prints and cards.”
Jane hopes to have around 10 paintings of different sizes in the exhibition, along with four or five pen drawings.
She works as an early years practitioner, so usually she only has time to paint at weekends or during school holidays.
Her sweeping landscapes and dramatic skies feature regularly in local exhibitions: the Society of Caithness Artists’ annual show in Thurso and the East Sutherland Art Society exhibition in Golspie.
Jane also exhibits in the biennial Aird Fundraising Group for the Highland Hospice in Beauly. Her solo exhibition Unspoken Truths was on show at venues throughout Scotland from 2017-2019.
She has lived in Latheron for just over 16 years.
“I feel very blessed to live where I do, with beautiful scenery in every direction and the ever-changing dramatic skies which are a source of inspiration,” Jane said.
“I enjoy painting landscapes that I have an emotional connection with and that I find thought-provoking – especially old uninhabited houses that tell a story of a time and place.
“I gather most of my inspiration by exploring the landscapes of Caithness in all weathers with my horse, Fudge. I like finding out about the history of the houses and hearing stories about the people who lived there.
“The houses that I am particularly drawn to are the ones that are in the most rural locations, and usually in the most beautiful surroundings. I always wonder who lived there and what their lives would have been like.
“I feel emotional about walking in the footsteps of a time past, and what memories these old buildings must hold.”
Abandoned starts at Waterlines on Saturday, November 23. It will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 3pm, until Saturday, December 21.
