Liz Douglas is an artist working in the Scottish Borders. She was born and brought up in Angus. She studied drawing at Edinburgh College of Art, completing her postgraduate Masters of Fine Art, Painting in 1993.
Statement
My painting is influenced by specific landscapes. The ‘macro and micro’ and ‘visible and invisible’ are elements that fascinate me, which I incorporate into my work.
I continually try to find ways to express elements of the landscape that reveal something else that is elusive and intriguing, difficult to quantify, with a poetic, musical resonance.
Drawing is an important part of the process – a looking at the landscape, engaging with it in all weathers.
I have a long connection with landscape – it is part of myself and something that I try to connect with through my working processes.
In my research work I reference ancient themes, contemporary issues, northern European and Eastern painting traditions, in the exploration of my subject matter.
I am particularly interested in the relationship between the natural world and the human world and the importance of wild natural spaces that exist in Scotland and a need to connect to these through walking the landscape. The writer Nan Shepherd, in “The Living Mountain”, and in her poetry, has been an important influence.
In this new series of work I am revisiting Nan Shepherd’s ‘The Living Mountain’ in relation to pools, pockets, and edges within the landscapes of Ullapool, the Flow Country and the Borders.
March 2018
Exhibitions
2018 SSA/VAS Annual Exhibition
2017 Mire: Pools and Pockets, And Gallery, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Art Fair, And Gallery, Edinburgh
Connections – mixed exhibition – And Gallery, Edinburgh
‘Intranquility’ Tweeddale Museum, Peebles – curated SSA project
Outlook, mixed exhibition - & Gallery, Edinburgh
‘Intranquility’ Dunfermline Fire Creative – curated SSA project
2016 ‘Intranquility’ An Talla Solais, Ullapool – group curated SSA exhibition
‘Intranquility’ SSA Annual Exhibition
Wasps Artist’s Studios Open Studios Exhibition
2015 The Debateable Landscape – Hawick Museum
Empire: SSA curated exhibition – Old Rope Works, Montrose – invited artist
The Steading Exhibition, Morebattle Mains, Kelso
& Collective, Bridge of Allan
SSA
2014 SSA
Creative Place commission - Eastgate Theatre, Peebles
2013 Sofia International Paper Art Biennial
RSW; RSA; SSA
2012 ‘Hidden Stories’ – reconstructed studio from Heriot Watt University -Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh
2011 ‘Mire’ Harestanes, Ancrum, Jedburgh
‘Way’ – Art installations, Over Phawhope Bothy, Ettrick
SSA
2010 ‘Seeds of Time’ solo exhibition, Tweeddale Museum, Peebles
2009-10 SSA/the Shape of Things/Harestanes; Seeds of time,Tweeddale Gallery, Peebles
2008 Interface – The Meffan, Forfar/Abroath/Montrose
2006 Seeds of Time 2, Peebles Museum
2005 Willowlines – new work from Ettrick Haughland
2004 Collyer Bristow Gallery, London
Wasps, Peebles/SSA
2003 SSA
2001-4 Interface-Sci-Art Touring Exhibition – Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries; Kilmarnock; Wick; Inverness; St Andrews; Galashiels
2000 SSA/Art 2000
1999 Seeds of Time – new work Harestanes Environmental Centre, Ancrum
Glasgow Art Fair/Art 99
Works in Public and Private Collections
Standard Life, Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, The National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Borders Council, Art in Healthcare Scotland, Flying Colours Gallery, East and Midlothian Art Fund, Capital Solutions, Eildon Group, Barclays Bank, Wetherspoons
Awards
2015 Visual Artist and Craft makers awards: South of Scotland
2014 Creative Place Commission -Eastgate Theatre, Peebles
2013 Edinburgh Laser Studio Award – SSA
2012 Con-text Residency – Heriot Watt University, School of Textiles, Galashiels
2011 Visual Artists Awards: Scottish Borders 2010-11
2008 Deloitte and Touche LLP Award – SSA
Scottish Natural Heritage – research award
Scottish Borders Council – research award
2005 The Evelyn Williams Trust – bursary – Drawing Quarters 2005 UWE
To study with Avis Newman
2004 The Hope Scott Trust – research award
Scottish Natural Heritage – research award
2000 Society of Scottish Artists – Edinburgh Printmakers Research Award
1993 John Florent Stone Scholarship
1991 RSA Student exhibition – Angus Award for Landscape
Borders Biennial – Commended
Memberships
1996 Professional Member of Society of Scottish Artists
Website: www.lizdouglas.co.uk