Artist Uncovered: Iain Stewart

Close and connected

With pure luminosity reflecting on dark matter and vast expanses of sky, sea and land, Iain Stewart’s photographs have a dream-like quality that hovers on the threshold of consciousness. Are these balanced compositions the product of hours of digital wizardry? The answer is definitely not as I discover that this artist works only with film cameras for his Fine Art photography. 

Eve  30 x 40 cm

image courtesy of the artist

This means that all decisions regarding composition and light are made at the shooting stage as there will be no cropping, erasing or any other kind of image manipulation later, just nature’s magic captured at the right moment and from the right viewpoint.

Such perfect timing is hardly down to luck. Instead it relies on the artist’s thorough knowledge of the terrain, weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations and on his profound connection with the landscape.

Path 98   60 x 60 cm

AiH Collection

And indeed Iain Stewart needs that emotional trigger. His landscapes are either familiar places he frequents often or special places that he empathises with immediately, like Cape Wrath. Born in Yorkshire of Scottish parents who were both doctors, he regularly visited Scotland while growing up, loved it and always knew that this was where he would eventually settle down.

Closing   90 x 90 cm

image courtesy of the artist

He chose to study textile design at Edinburgh College of Art in the 1980s but was always drawn towards painting and photography which was not yet a full curriculum, and inspired by great photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank. He was however able to do a Master degree in photography, the only student on the course, and this is where he learnt his skills from his tutor and mentor Murray Johnson. This somewhat circuitous approach taught him not to let technicality get in the way and hinder his creativity.

Sound   76 x 100 cm

image courtesy of the artist

He recalls that his first body of work was a series of portraits of his father’s patients from the newly born to the terminally ill. This assignment proved to be a determining experience that made him aware of that special connection between practitioner and patient. It was also to bring him some important commissions from the medical field later in his career. 
Stewart’s commercial practice is in complete contrast with his Fine Art photography. Not only is it all digital but also, while his landscapes are very quiet and devoid of the human figure, his commissioned works are all about people and Stewart recognises that one could not exist without the other.

Tender   76 x 100 cm

image courtesy of the artist

They are opposite and at the same time share the same process. In both cases the artist gets closer and closer to his subject and this closeness together with the removal of all superfluous information, combine to deliver a universal message. His images are not about that particular horizon or that particular patient but about that fleeting and all enveloping moment when connectivity and healing can happen.

Spindrift   30 x 40 cm

image courtesy of the artist

Iain Stewart has works in the Sanctuary of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, a non-denominational space for reflection and prayer where his meditative and immersive seascapes fittingly welcome visitors, drawing them in with uninterrupted lines and colours.

He exhibits widely at home and abroad and is represented in many collections including that of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
He is currently working towards a solo exhibition to be shown in the autumn in the Wild Space, the John Muir Trust visitor centre in Pitlochry.

Martine Foltier Pugh is a freelance writer and visual artist based in Edinburgh

With thanks to Iain Stewart

For further information

Iain Stewart's website and blog: http://www.isphotographs.co.uk/   http://isphotographs.blogspot.co.uk/
The Sanctuary, The Royal Infirmary Edinburgh:  
http://www.publicartonline.org.uk/resources/reports/rephealthcare/sanctuary.php 
The Wild Space: http://www.jmt.org/wildspace.asp 


And special thanks to Balfour Beatty Investments and Arts & Business Scotland for their financial support, which has enabled Art in Healthcare to produce 18 Artist Uncovered blog posts and accompanying video productions.

Carterhaugh and Forest Pitch, A Tale of Two Ba' Games

In the middle of the Olympic Games, I went to see ‘Playing for Scotland. The Making of Modern Sport’, the exhibition of sporting paintings, photographs and memorabilia now showing at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. I counted twenty four different sports in total, some of them hundreds of years old and many still practised today. Football is particularly well documented. I learned that it all started with the ancient tradition of the village ba’ game which incidentally is still played today in certain Scottish towns, when whole communities or parishes got involved behind two opposite sides, the ‘uppies’ vs. the ‘doonies’. 

One particular ba’ game still stands out today from the rest. We are reminded of it by a small etching by James Stephanoff entitled ‘Lifting the Banner of the House of Buccleuch at the Great Foot-Ball Match on Carterhaugh’. The epic encounter between Selkirk and Yarrow took place in December 1815. Volunteers from other parishes joined the two sides until their combined numbers reached the hundreds and all marched to the site of the game to the sound of the pipes. The military feel was reinforced by the display of the Buccleuch Banner, a relic of past wars. The Duke of Buccleuch in person supported the Yarrow side while Selkirk was championed by its Sherriff, none other than Sir Walter Scott whose literary works spread his positive portrayal of Scottish identity across the world.  Scott was greatly instrumental in the organisation of the contest.

Not surprisingly, the arts were part of the proceedings and the 2000 spectators were handed out verses by Scott and James Hogg, the poet and novelist. The pitch was over one mile long with the Ettrick Water and the River Yarrow for goal lines. Selkirk wore twigs of fir and Yarrow, sprigs of heather. The game lasted more than four hours and remarkably, humour and good behaviour were maintained throughout even though betting money was at stake. Eventually it ended nil-nil, such was the athletic fitness of the men.

Almost two hundred years later, another football event is currently being organised in the Borders with the patronage of the arts. ‘Forest Pitch’ is the creation of Edinburgh-based artist Craig Coulthard and was selected to represent Scotland in the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The project which is supported by Creative Scotland, involved felling spruce in a commercial plantation in the Borders to make the pitch. The trees were then recycled into changing rooms, goal posts, seating and fencing. 

 

Craig Coulthard in front of the pitch

picture by Angie Catlin, courtesy of 'Forest Pitch'

 

Two matches are to take place bringing together four amateur teams, two male and two female with many of the players having recently arrived to Scotland from various parts of the world and all will be wearing strips designed by schoolchildren. After the event, the pitch will be planted with native trees as a lasting reminder.

 

Forest Pitch strips with their young designers

picture by Angie Catlin, courtesy of 'Forest Pitch'

 

Coulthard’s inspiration evolved from his memories of playing football as a boy in a forest in Germany where he grew up. He has been closely involved with the games and the players but will not be taking part in the matches and, as a keen amateur footballer, finds it difficult to resist kicking the ball when watching the practice sessions. He explains that although he was aware of Scott and Hogg neither men nor their work have a direct influence on his work and that the Carterhaugh Ba’ just happened to be a wonderful coincidence. I see in what similarities there are between the two, a heartening sign of the continuity of the Scottish spirit and identity. 

The Cultural Olympiad got under way in 2008 and like the Olympic Games it has involved and inspired millions across the UK. ‘Forest Pitch’ is a celebration of Scotland’s cultural diversity, its passion for ball games and the spirit of amateur sport.  It also shows that when the arts and sports come together, anything is possible!

 

For information:

The ‘Forest Pitch’ games will take place on August 25 and tickets are available from the ‘Forest Pitch’ website. www.forestpitch.org/

The Buccleuch Estates at Bowhill are considering a re-enactment of the Carterhaugh Ba’ game in 2015 to mark its bicentenary. www.bowhill.org

 

Martine Foltier Pugh is a freelance writer and visual artist based in Edinburgh

 

Credits:

With thanks to Craig Coulthard for his information and images and to Matthew Shelley of ‘Forest Pitch’ for his images.

 

Links:

The National Galleries of Scotland, ‘Playing for Scotland’ exhibition www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/playing-for-scotland#.UCD1sGFSQlw

Craig Coulthard www.craigcoulthard.com/

‘Forest Pitch’ www.forestpitch.org/

Creative Scotland ‘Cultural Olympiad’  www.creativescotland.com/explore/2012-2014/london-2012-cultural-olympiad/forest-pitch

Buccleuch Estates at Bowhill www.bowhill.org