The Story Behind “The Highlands”
Some paintings start with a clear idea. “The Highlands” wasn't one of them. It started with a trip.
Sketching in Glencoe
A Trip to Scotland
I visited Scotland a while back and it really stuck with me. I'd seen photos before, but being there is just different. Everything is so green, and there's so much space. I remember watching sheep in a field and just thinking, this is really nice. Nothing dramatic happened. It was just quiet and calm, and I liked being in it.
Bringing it home
When I got home, I kept coming back to how it felt being out there. I didn't want to paint a postcard version of Scotland. I just wanted to get that feeling of openness down on paper.
I built up the greens layer by layer, trying to get some depth and movement into the surface. The sheep ended up being small and simple. They're there to give it warmth and a bit of life, but the landscape is really the main character.
How it turned out
It ended up being one of my favorites in the collection. It has a calmness to it that I think works really well on a wall. The kind of piece that doesn't shout but you notice it every time you walk past. I hope it brings a bit of that Scottish quiet into someone's home.
“The Highlands” - the original painting
“The Highlands” became a limited edition fine art print, signed and numbered, printed on museum-grade archival paper. Edition of 150. If it's the kind of piece you'd like in your home, you can find it in the store.
P.S. The real inspiration.
