Artist excited as artwork to feature in new exhibition

On Saturday (28 November) a new exhibition will open to the public at Inchmore Gallery by Beauly which will include several pieces of art created by Rhona Joan MacLeod, a client of the City’s Corbett Centre and a member of the Highland Print Studio.

Rhona Joan Macleod, aged 41 is from Ullapool, where her family still live, but has lived in Inverness for many years.  Through her involvement with Highland Print Studio she has developed a special interest in local architecture and buildings in the City of Inverness.  Rhona is passionate about her art and very prolific. On display as part of the Inchmore Christmas Exhibition will be some of her eye catching lino cut prints and drawings which really have to be seen to be appreciated.

A number of people from The Highland Council’s Corbett Centre with an interest in art set up a group working at the Highland Print Studio in 2003.  It was here that Rhona had the opportunity to use different materials and media and develop her own style.  Liz Graham and Billy Coghill from the Centre worked with her to encourage her interest and broaden her understanding of art.
 
Rhona has exhibited at art evenings at the Corbett Centre, at Arts in Merkinch, at the Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness, at the Floral Hall and at the Glasgow Print Fair.  Her pictures, which are well observed and quirky, have always been popular and have sold well.  She is planning to have her work exhibited at a gallery for Outsider Art in Edinburgh.  She has also completed a cluster of SQA Art and Design units.

Rhona, who is very excited, was at the Gallery on Friday to watch the exhibition get hung.  She said:  “I have always been interested in art and liked looking at pictures of paintings by Monet, Van Gogh and Jackson Pollock among others.  I have been to quite a few art exhibitions in Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and various art exhibitions when I was on holiday in Italy. 

“I really started to draw and paint when I became a member of the Highland Print Studio in 2003.  I found that I particularly liked to draw pictures of buildings.  In the Studio we had a book of line drawings in ink of Inverness, by the late John Pearson.  I liked them very much and did some line drawings based on his work.  My favourite materials are pencil, paint, wash and pen.  I love colour and like to mix my own shades.  I now draw from photographs or from sketches I have made.  I make prints from some of my pictures in the Highland Print Studio.

“I come from Ullapool and I am planning to do some sketching there when the weather improves next year.  My family have been very supportive and encouraging.  They buy me good quality materials for Christmas and birthdays and I give them my pictures as presents.”

Anne Ritchie a teacher at the Corbett Centre said who works with Rhona said:  “We are all very proud of Rhona and congratulate her on having some of her artwork selected for the exhibition at Inchmore Gallery.  She is very dedicated and hard working and has plenty of creative talent so I am sure taking part in the exhibition will inspire her to continue with her art.”