One of Scotland's most successful and best loved contemporary artists is preparing to open a major new exhibition in South Ayrshire. John Lowrie Morrison (better known as JOLOMO) will bring his distinctive style to Ayr's Maclaurin Galleries in his ‘The Magical Light of the West’ exhibition, which runs from Saturday 1 July to Sunday 30 July.
[Pictured: John Lowrie Morrison in his studio.]
This exhibition will sit alongside a dynamic exhibition of new work by MESH - a collective of Scottish artists. Set up in 2011 this diverse group of ten artists came together to form a collective, providing skill and knowledge exchange, peer support and critical discussion.
In Rozelle House, tutors and students work from Ayrshire College Visual Arts courses, complete the offering at Rozelle. This is a fantastic exhibition of work by both staff and students of the HNC and HND Visual Arts courses at Ayrshire College, incorporating photography, jewellery, visual communications, art and design.
John Walker, Chair of the Maclaurin Trust looks forward to the exhibition. “We’re proud to welcome John Lowrie Morrison to the Maclaurin for this important exhibition This is just a small taster of the wonderful work this internationally renowned artist does and we will follow it in 2018 when the Maclaurin Gallery hosts a Jolomo Retrospective, looking back at his life and the enormous body of work he has produced.”
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[Pictured: “An Oban Sunset” by artist John Lowrie Morrison.]
Councillor Brian McGinley, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Tourism & Leisure said the event was bound to pull in the crowds, “Following on from the fantastic success of our Goudie exhibition, we’re thrilled to welcome another high profile artist to Ayr, where I’m sure there will be an enthusiastic response to the work on show.
“As an artist, JOLOMO, has personal connections to Ayrshire which he’s keen to connect to, and I’m sure people from across the west of Scotland will travel to see his exhibition first hand, along with the high impact MESH exhibition, and the work from Ayrshire College.
“We’re committed to making arts accessible to as wide an audience as possible, and the latest exhibitions at the Maclaurin Galleries and Rozelle are great examples of exciting partnerships which bring major artists to South Ayrshire.”
Commenting ahead of the exhibition, John Lowrie Morrison said, “I’ve always known about the Maclaurin and Rozelle, and I have been meaning to come and visit for years. I do know the area quite well though, and I would say that Ayrshire is part of my psyche as I came down to paint at Culzean when I was a student at Glasgow School of Art during the late 60s and early 70s. I love painting on that part of the Scottish coast, the light is quite different from that of the West Coast of Argyll.”
John Lowrie Morrison
The artist, who is better known as JOLOMO, is instantly recognisable with his work proving to be hugely popular. Born in Maryhill, Glasgow, JOLOMO‘s family roots are in the Outer Hebrides, and his childhood visits to family on both Harris and Skye gave him a love of the croft. He attended Glasgow School of Art 1967-72, studying drawing and painting, textiles and printing under the star tutors of the time, including Alexander Goudie, whose work is on permanent display at Rozelle House.
MESH
For this exhibition, MESH has explored methods of collaboration to develop new forms of research and making. Working in sub-groups for the past seven months, the members have experimented with a variety of familiar and new practice methods. The results of their collaborations include drawings, paintings, weaving, photographs, artists’ books, postcards and sculptures. Solo works by individual members of MESH are also shown in the exhibition, complementing the collaborative work. MESH are also offering a series of inspiring workshops and talks too, sharing their skills and practice with people of South Ayrshire. – Please contact Rozelle House for more details.
South Ayrshire Council is a Founder Member of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.
