Aberdeenshire artist Lorraine Gahagan provides an insight into her work…
‘I suppose art has always been an essential part of my life. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t draw or paint. My Dad is an artist and I have fond childhood memories of the smell of oil paints and turpentine.
‘My work is very varied. Depending on my mood it can be vibrant and free flowing, or calm and controlled. I find living in Aberdeenshire provides limitless possibilities for inspiration and the next new canvas.
As an artist I am influenced by everywhere I go, everyone I meet and everything I see. Everything has a beauty from a rusty nail to a misty Venice morning.
‘The process I adopt and the materials I use, depend on what has inspired me and the result I want to achieve. A recent painting started from grabbing a canvas and easel and rushing outside to capture a particular sky. For another I was out cycling when something caught my attention, so I took photos and worked on it back at my studio. A painting might be completed in a couple of days or take weeks or months for a more detailed piece.
‘Painting for me is not a choice, it is an essential part of me. I would paint even if the finished works were to be stored or destroyed. However, I find it very touching and rewarding that people are prepared to purchase my paintings and display them in their home or office. I get great pleasure from hearing that something I have created has another life where it continues to be appreciated and enjoyed.
‘My work can be viewed on my website, which also gives details of upcoming exhibitions and a way of getting in touch. This year, I’m hoping to complete a new studio in an outbuilding where people can come and see my paintings.’
lorrainegahagan.com