One of Scotland’s foremost contemporary wildlife painters, Georgina McMaster, brings together the wildlife of the Masai Mara and her native Scotland in a spectacular new Solo Exhibition of work at the Strathearn Gallery, Crieff from 8th June

 

Surrounded by animals from a young age and brought up within a creative family, it was almost predestined that Georgina McMaster would pursue a career as a wildlife artist.

After graduating from art school and then initially juggling a teaching career with her painting, Georgina decided in 2012 to concentrate on painting full-time – she hasn’t looked back since.

Today, Georgina’s work is collected worldwide and is instantly recognisable with her large bold and dynamic works, often with backgrounds deliberately left blank, allowing Georgina to focus entirely on capturing the character of each animal painted.

The Herald:

In late 2022, Georgina visited Kenya’s Masi Mara and it was this experience that continues to provide so much inspiration for her new exhibition ‘To Africa and Back.

Seeing big cats, elephants, giraffes and zebras in their natural habitat also heralded an evolution in Georgina’s painting.  The climate, vast skies, spectacular savanna and breath-taking sunrises and sunsets of Kenya all providing the perfect backdrop for the close study of wildlife, allowing Georgina to take a further step forward in her art and approach to wildlife painting.

Already renowned for her lifelike depictions of the textures of fur, feathers or skin and ability to capture the spark of life in the eyes of animals, Georgina has further developed her style by adding in more and more layers of detail and incorporating a far broader colour palette into her work than ever before. 

The Herald:

Painting a crocodile was different” states Georgina, “I enjoyed layering the colours to form a harlequin-like pattern on the skin, making it seem almost jolly, while also trying to convey in its eye the stealthy threat it poses.”

The majesty of the African animals in the exhibition are matched by striking paintings of our own native wildlife.  Painting Scottish wildlife is Georgina’s first love and living in a rural environment, her daily life involves seeing garden birds, bees, hares, deer, highland cows, birds of prey and Springtime, lambs.

The Herald:

“In my earlier career I was probably best known for painting highland cows and have painted fewer in the past few years, but it is always a great joy to return to one of my favourite animals.  I love painting and know I always will. It’s my dream job.”

Georgina McMaster’s new Solo Exhibition opens 10am on the 8th June 2024 at The Strathearn Gallery, Crieff and runs until 7th July. Click here for more https://www.strathearn-gallery.com/