A new exhibition at the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (a charity promoting the study, protection and enjoyment of wild birds in Scotland) presents the work of three artists who apply unusual media to the subject of wildlife: collages by Paul Bartlett, recycled sculptures by Barbara Franc and stencil paintings and prints by Jo Ruth.
Paul Bartlett uses collage to recapture in the studio the thrilling experience of encountering wildlife in remote and beautiful places. “The challenge is to create a piece almost entirely out of ripped paper from magazines. The use of text that relates to the subject adds an extra element of intrigue.”
Barbara Franc is a London-based artist who has always been fascinated by the sculptural forms of animals. She developed her own techniques to create sculptures from unusual materials such as tins, foils and textiles, that are either found or discarded. Beyond the sound ecological reasons for this, what attracts her is the idea of creating something new from materials charged with their own histories.
Jo Ruth is based in York and her inspiration comes from her observations of birds in and around the city. Experiments with silkscreen printing sparked her journey into stencil making then combining painting and printmaking techniques to create fresh and contemporary interpretations of nature.
Summer opening hours (from 17 April): Wed-Sun (10am – 5pm), free entry.
- Nature Reimagined
- Paul Bartlett, Barbara Franc and Jo Ruth
- 17 April – 2 June 2024
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
