‘‘Living on Deeside in North East Scotland I am blessed by multiple sources of inspiration: the beautiful birch and pine woods, the dramatic mountain landscape of the Cairngorms, the life force that is the River Dee itself all the way to the coast and the birds and animals that call this outstanding area their home.’’
JOHN THRELFALL SWLA – ARTIST’S STATEMENT
‘’I draw and paint direct from nature as much as I can. It is my way of connecting with the non human species with which we share this planet home and the many varied landscapes and habitat we all rely upon. The rewards for opening up to the fundamental beauty all around us in this way are tangible. Even the familiar becomes a source of wonder and amazement. It is literally eye opening. This process of quiet observation and reverence is life changing.
My field studies may sometimes be worthy of a mount and a frame in their own right but they are primarily a record of a specific moment and of a personalised experience. They may or may not become a source of reference for a studio painting but I do, however, hugely enjoy that time at the easel, giving licence to the imagination, memory and emotion, contemplating aspects of composition, colour and mark making and the creation of something new that embraces wholly the initial experience but then takes that further, strengthening the intention, and absolutely savouring the process.’’
