About Me

I grew up in rural Perthshire, Scotland. I have always drawn and painted what's around me - animals and birds, the landscape, and more recently, flowers. I had a rather strict art teacher at school who had us drawing from life, both in the art room and for homework. At art school, I learnt to use oil paint, and it was all about colour.

I am married to Randal, a Perthshire farmer, and we have four gorgeous daughters. I have a studio in a loft space above the cow shed, and I love it!

Many of the drawings I've done over the years are on handmade paper, using charcoal and pastel. The texture lends itself beautifully to feathers, hair, bone and horns, and the tone of the paper really lifts the pale pastel marks.

Most of my oil painting is done on natural linen. I love how the linen's tone allows for the most subtle colour changes and brushmarks - it's why a buttery white isn't drowned out by a punchy orange.

I am, by no stretch of the imagination, a gardener. But over the last few years, I've tried growing a few flowers to paint, and just to put in a vase in my kitchen. Dahlias are my new challenge, and my goodness, they're worth the effort. Dahlias like dinner plates, in colours so incredible they look like something from Disney.

The idea for the scarves came from trying to think of something to give my girls for Christmas. Then, over coffee with an old friend, a painter with huge knowledge of the textile world, she suggested Biddle Sawyer, based near Manchester, and so this journey began. I had a lot to learn, but so far, so good. These are my first six designs, which I hope to add to as time goes on.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my website. And a huge thank you to the enormously talented and patient Asia Reekie, for all her effort, patience, and wizardry - the kind that is absolutely beyond me.

Thank you,

Gill