Scottish Highlands – Helen Frost Artist

“Splendid Isolation” 30 cm H X 23 m W £145

Last year we had our first ever three week holiday spending two weeks on the marvellous Isle of Mull (one in the North and one in the South of the island) and the final week in the highlands near Sheildaig and Lochcarron in Wester Ross. It was my first visit that far North and I defy anyone not to be impressed by the sheet majesty of the mountains and beauty of the lochs.

Here are some of the photographs that I took and my interpretation of the views in the form of collage. The bottom two images form part of what will be shown in our home as part of the Chichester Art Trail.

Next year we hope to return to beautiful Scotland and venture even further North.

I have a need for texture in my work and have been experimenting with different ways of adding depth and texture to my work on paper. This week I have revisited collage and started to explore a new medium – cold wax. Treading gently at first, I have added a little wax to my watercolour paper based pieces and am liking the effect. Here are some of the collage images started recently at West Dean College:

West Dean Collage 3

This next piece was completed in one go – acrylic ink, wax, charcoal and a little collage material from my trusty drawer of bits

Distant cliffs collage And finally, this one, compiled from three pieces which I did whilst on holiday in Scotland last year. I had quickly dashed off a series of three sketches – I liked the immediacy and vibrancy of the marks but each felt incomplete. Remembering what I had been told by Cas Holmes last year, I threw caution to the wind, tore the pieces up and reassembled them – there they are before and after: