One of Scotland’s best loved artists has chosen a land-locked Perthshire town to host his latest exhibition of paintings inspired by the sea.
John Lowrie Morrison OBE, better known as Jolomo, has 50 new artworks on display at the Strathearn Gallery in Crieff.
The artist, whose buyers include the Princess Royal and Madonna, is best known for his colourful landscapes.
But the Jolomo works in Crieff explore his deep family connections with the sea and the coast.
He recently told The Courier how he discovered his great grandfather had been a lighthouse keeper’s assistant.
Murdoch Morrison served on the Bell Rock off Arbroath, among other places, in the 1860s.
“No wonder I love to paint the sea,” said John.
“I have the sea in my blood.”
Jolomo has long links with Crieff
The 50 new Jolomo paintings in the Crieff show celebrate the sea in all its moods, from waves crashing on the cliffs at Mangersta on the Isle of Lewis to calmer seas lapping the beaches of Iona and Tiree.
They will be on display until June 2.
And while the nearest beach might be about 40 miles away, Strathearn Gallery owner Susan Bennett says they couldn’t have landed in a better place.
“We are delighted and honoured to welcome John back to the gallery for a solo exhibition,” she said.
“The colours and stories in the paintings spark a profound connection with viewers. And John’s work is rightly coveted by art lovers around the world.
“The gallery is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and John has been exhibiting here for almost all that time.
“It’s fantastic to continue our long association and showcase this exciting new work.”
Jolomo trained at Glasgow School of Art and worked in education for 25 years before he began to paint full-time in 1997.
His works are in the collections of HRH The Princess Royal, Dame Ann Gloag and the Duke and Duchess of Argyll. They have also been bought by celebrities including Sting, Madonna and Simon Le Bon.
Conversation