Ruth Nicol: Whisperings from the Isle of Skye

17 October - 2 November 2016

Ruth Nicol: Whisperings from the Isle of Skye

Sainnsearach Bho Eilean a' Cheò

Whisperings From The Isle of Skye

This exhibition by Ruth Nicol continues her exploration into landscape and identity, in sequal to her previous touring exhibition 'Three Rivers Meet'. The intention of returning to the “Misty” Isle of Skye at the start of this year was to capture the raw energy of the prehistoric landscape, in particular the An Cuiltheann (the Cuillin Mountains) which have provided a wealth of inspiration for this selection of work.

February provided many and varied weather conditions casting the isle, all ready steeped in mythology, with a particular majesty. The rolling weather fronts have contributed to Ruth's thorough process, building atmosphere and manipulating paint to reveal a personalised impression of a landscape. Being accompanied by her family, all eager learners but inexperienced in the Gaelic language, provided an ideal opportunity to practice beginer language skills and fully immerse themselves in the way of life. This prompted further investigation into cultural heritage which is visible within these works.

The intention of Ruths ongoing practice is to follow the sound of the Gaelic language across the ocean to Nova Scotia in the near future (2018) to consider the ebb and flow of migration.