An art exhibition which opens on Monday features the work of Edinburgh-based artist, Michael McGovern.
Dreamscapes Cityscapes includes more than 20 paintings which combine two strands of his work – Edinburgh and other dreamlike works “exploring nature, pattern and imagination”.
The artist confesses to a fascination with Edinburgh where the old meets the new, and the light is constantly changing.
He has lived in the capital for more than 20 years and his paintings show the places he has come to know – The Balmoral, the Grassmarket, the Shore, the Mound and Bruntsfield Place. He shows the familiar differently with buildings leaning and distorting, trees dancing and shadows longer than they would normally be.
Dreamscapes features butterflies and water, movement and pattern.
Michael said: “My favourite themes are cityscapes, often from unusual angles, and nature. I enjoy experimenting by combining, layering glazes, developing contrasts, and watching depth emerge. I often paint darker backgrounds so the brighter tones can pop, giving my work a playful, sometimes naïve quality. For me, art is primarily about FUN!”
“The Dreamscapes come from a similar place, but there’s more freedom in them. They’re about wonder, nature and imagination. Bringing the two groups together felt right because, in a way, I think I’m doing the same thing in both: looking at something and allowing myself to convey what I feel.”
Dreamscapes Cityscapes runs from 5 – 30 October at Edinburgh Art and Design Library, George IV Bridge.
