James Morrison – Summer Isles 1996

James Morrison was an acclaimed Scottish artist who is credited with helping to reinvigorate landscape painting in Britain.

Having studied at his native Glasgow School of Art Morrison took the opportunity to travel to Paris where he saw first-hand the works of the Barbizon school and the landscapes they produced. These works had a great influence on him and for the rest of his life he would paint landscape en plein air and he remained committed to the principle that an artist should paint in situ so as to experience the landscape in its truest form.

Having moved with his family to Montrose and having taken up a teaching position at the College of Art and design in Dundee it was in the 1970s that he began to find his own particular style. Choosing to paint the Scottish landscape with its large skies and turbulent weather Morrison’s unusual technique of laying thin washes of paint on large jesso boards. This helped him capture the ever shifting light and dramatic changes that are so typical of Scotland. Whilst appearing highly detailed Morrison actually painted in a quick and vigorous manner trying to capture fleeting effects before they disappeared. 

Whilst he was very much a native of Scotland Morrison’s paintings can be found in public and private collections around the world.