dominique cameron RSW

Whilst painting my studio yesterday I listened to a radio 4 adaptation of Strindberg’s play ‘Miss Julie’. Astonishing and brave, it left me feeling empty, bereft almost. So in order to lighten the mood I then played a couple of episodes of ‘Still Game’,  which still make me laugh loudly and stupidly.  I admired the juxtaposition of these two fictions.

This morning I walked out of the village past the cabbage field and up to the recycling centre to do some drawing. Rab and Pete and Jake the Scotty dog said it was ok as long I didn’t get run over. So I drew part of the model village they have created which is a wonder in itself, and the portakabin where they issue forth instructions. Rab brought me a cup of tea which was most welcome after battling with the strong winds. After, I showed them my sketch, and I somehow became involved in agreeing to paint a backdrop for their model village. Not sure how that happened, anyway it’ll be a nice thing to do. I asked them about the people they get coming here and was told that they’ve had Archie McPherson visit as well as the one off of Harry Potter, but couldn’t remember his name and they two from ‘Still Game’………!  Jake the scotty dog had his photo taken with the tall one. Celebrities, rubbish, a Lilliputian village complete with zoo, and a nineteenth century Swedish playwright. What would Isa make of those stories….

Wind in the sycamore tree. Swallows and the smell of wild garlic. Ink on paper.

Acrylic and ink on paper in between the showers.

portraits. Ink on paper.

 

 

Garages and sheds, mixed media on ply.

Doors open into a gloom of stored yesterdays. Gently mouldering boxes of half tins of paint leftover from the days of tangerine and mint green silk emulsion. Toys that cannot be discarded, not yet anyway, because…..A broken deckchair, and a thing for, you know, for…., aye well it might still come in handy. Wellie boots with holes in, hanging basket planters, when we thought it might be nice to look as if we cared, an Atari games console complete with pac man game, a tin of bent rusty nails and a pogo stick.

Mixed media on paper. 73 x 47 cm

Summer .

Memories of  bitumen and creosote being painted on wood, and the smell with the heat of summer. My feet finding soft, sticky patches of tar on the road and pushing my toes into the black glue. Of course I would walk it into the house and spend days trying to scrub the tattooed molasses from my skin. By August my legs bruised, scabbed, tarred and sunburnt.

Mixed media on newsprint and ply. 30 x 20 cm.

 

 

I visited the village of Catterline yesterday, the subject of Joan Eardleys famous landscapes.I am taking part in an exhibition at Wall Projects, Montrose about this place and my response to it. I wandered and sat in the sunshine among the cow parsley and blooms of blue borage and did a little drawing. Grand.

In the evening, a group of 23 of us headed out on ‘the walk’, the line in Montrose I followed. I even managed to take Montrosians to places they had not been before. A brilliant walk full of chat and stories, and a great way to end my involvement in Montrose…. except I will be back next year for part two – another show but walking a different line which is a very exciting prospect – I already have my eye on something….

 

 

A minibus tour from Dundee with the Dighty group I worked with last year to see the show in Montrose. Jokes and banter, and chocolate teacakes before we left. Smells of manure from the farmland and accusations from the back of the bus. Laughter. At the gallery, in the space where the film is being screened, everyone settles in. Chocolate is handed out ‘Who wants a crunchie ?’,’Anyone for a flake ? Spuggie?’ A can of Fanta opened, questions about who’s who in the film, and everyone settles, maybe expecting a feature length, but only getting 8 minutes. Time for tea. With detours and places too expensive to visit we end up in Arbroath for a cup of Earl Grey and a scone and jam. On the bus back into Dundee the conversation is different to the morning. We talk about the film and the fragments and traces we leave behind, big questions about what is important in living a life, quantum physics and the afterlife. Thundery rain splatters the windscreen, black clouds to the north. A good day , an interesting day, and a day of renewing friendships.

 

 

 

 

A wonderful day, great weather, very busy, half the paintings sold, the film admired and lots and lots of good conversation about art, walking and Montrose. Thankyou to everyone who came to support me and also Kim at Wall Projects making it such a brilliant event.

Baltic Street Notebooks runs until July 2nd.