Jamie Primrose, ‘Winter Impressions’- serene, scenic views around Edinburgh @ Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh.
Since 2003, Jamie Primrose has presented over forty solo exhibitions, specialising in city, land and seascapes from Scotland to the south of France. Back again at the Dundas Street Gallery this week for his second show of 2022, ‘Winter Impressions’ features fifty oil paintings, prints and Indian ink drawings depicting crisp snowy days and panoramic views around Edinburgh.
I’ve captured glistening light streaming through the trees in The Meadows creating shimmering reflections and snowy shadows to vibrant, wintry twilight paintings in and around the Royal Mile.’
Jamie Primrose
The Athens of the North has a unique and commanding setting, built around seven hills – a regular stomping ground for Primrose to sketch and take photographs of the changing light across the sky from dusk to dawn. Winter vista over the city from Arthur’s Seat is a majestic scene, the viewer placed in the centre as if standing on a snowy bank, overlooking the city with the distant Castle and tall church spires under a wide expanse of mauve-tinted, criss crossing clouds.
‘Half a Capital and half a country town, the whole city leads a double existence – Arthur’s Seat and the Pentland Hills that so quietly look down on the Castle with the city lying in waves around it. The soft northern sunshine throws everything into a glorified distinctness.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
Sharing a mutual passion with RLS for the unique setting of Edinburgh, this quotation illustrates the artist’s signature style – ambitious panoramas of the majestic, magical city skyline juxtaposed by the rural landscape of rolling, green hills. Shimmering Light in the Pentlands offers another atmospheric scene with coral-pink streaks across the sky in the pale winter sunshine. Harlaw Reservoir looks as if it has a thin layer of ice and the crisp snow almost makes one shiver due to the raw realism of the scene.
Likewise, the bare branches along an avenue of trees look frozen, like white marble sculptures, as the early morning shards of rosy light cast slender, dark shadows on the powdery snow in Ethereal Sunrise on the Meadows.
Many other colourful, dramatic views around the city streets, parks and open ‘urban’ countryside, bathed in soft, glimmering sunlight with Turner-esque vision: tranquil serenity is emphasised by the rich golden-amber glow against the silhouetted woodland in Winter Sunrise over Duddingston Loch.
The colourful, cobbled Victoria Street from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket is the place to shop for antiques, books, cheese, whisky, tailored tweed as well as the cosy Bow Bar. Devoid of the usual madding crowd, this chilly scene, Winter Impressions brilliantly captures the slushy car tracks up the road and the curving path cleared by pedestrians on the pavement, under a clear blue sky.
Also, a fine series of monochrome drawings in Indian Ink highlight the artist’s talent for architectural draughtsmanship, such as the towering turrets of the Assembly Hall, decorative design of Ramsay Garden and Castle Rock in Late Afternoon on the Mound.
In addition to the original oil paintings, there’s a selection of affordable, limited edition prints of these evocative winter scenes.
So take a visit to the Dundas Street Gallery this week for a tour around the historic Old Town and treelined parks, then a brisk trek around icy lochs and crisp white, snow-covered hills.
Winter Impressions is indeed another artistic ‘love letter’ from Jamie Primrose to illustrate the timeless, romantic beauty of Edinburgh.
Winter Impressions – Jamie Primrose
Dundas Street Gallery, 6a Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ
Monday 7th to Friday 11th November, 11am – 6pm.
Saturday 12th November, 11am – 5pm.
The Smart Leisure Guide 