Viewing Room

Welcome to the Castle Gallery Viewing Rooms where you will find highlights from our exhibitions - past and present - focussing on key works, inspirational ideas and telling the stories behind the show. Best viewed on a desktop browser.

JENNY MCLAREN & ANNA DE VILLE

5th - 27th May 2023
'Fieldmarks'
Fieldmarks: the distinctive stripes, spots, patterns, colours and highlights on birds that help with identification.

A keen interest in birdwatching brings these two artists together for a spectacular and informative exhibition at the Castle Gallery.

Jenny McLaren

Birdwatching on Rannoch Moor, acrylic with collaged vintage papers, map and book pages on wood, 61 x 61cm (left)
Birdwatching on Rannoch Moor - detail (below)

Jenny McLaren is interested in the way in which each bird species belongs to its individual habitat. Using maps to signify the locations in which they can be found, Jenny skilfully paints the birds on top in acrylic, gouache, ink and coloured pencil to create her beautifully intriguing paintings. Did you spot the bird?

This exhibition features paintings of birds as well as landscapes and seascapes from the many different islands of the West Coast of Scotland and other wild and remote locations such as Rannoch Moor. Birds became a major preoccupation for Jenny as a result of her encounters with seabirds on ferry crossings and coastal walks.

The Minch Gannet, acrylic & mixed media with map on deep edge wood panel, 20 x 20cm

Distant View to Mull from Iona, acrylic ink and coloured pencil on split map, 31 x 41cm

Jenny McLaren graduated with a BA (Fine Art) from the UHI Millennium Institute, Moray College in 2006 after completing an HND in Art and Design at Aberdeen College in 2002. Although she moved to the Lake District in 2015, she travels north regularly on painting trips in a camper van to spend time in her favourite areas of the West Coast and Scottish Islands including Mull, Barra and the North West Highlands. She habitually returns to the same places as she forms strong connections to them.

Short Eared Owl - Barn Owl - Snowy Owl - Tawny Owl
acrylic, acrylic ink and pigment ink pen with map on wood panel, 15 x 15cm

Mull Corncrake, acrylic, acrylic ink and coloured pencil on geological map, 15 x 20cm

Barra Beach, acrylic and acrylic ink with map on wood panel, 30.5 x 40.5cm

"My aim isn’t to capture the perfect moment of light on the landscape – it’s more like a gathering of time spent mapping a locality, laying down all the weathers in a bird’s eye"

Achmelvich, acrylic ink, acryl gouache, graphite pencil, pigment ink pen with map on wood panel, 15 x 15cm

Jenny's working method begins with walking. She makes sketches and takes photographs and notes, paying attention to the geology, flora, fauna and the effects of weather as she walks. She uses mainly water-based media such as acrylics and gouache mixed with other media, working on watercolour paper, wood panels and collaged surfaces. Her landscapes are often painted on old maps of the area she is depicting - obscuring or revealing the map between subtle washes of paint.

Storr, Isle of Skye, acrylic and acrylic ink on geological map and wood panel, 20 x 20cm

Working with the tints of colour featured on geological maps, Jenny has created some spectacular paintings of the Old Man of Storr on Skye with a new range of colours including striking pinks – taking her out of her colour field comfort zone. As an artist it is good to push boundaries and not become too predictable.

View all of Jenny's paintings here

Anna de Ville

Crested Tit Brooch, sterling silver, limited edition piece (from an edition of 25), 4 x 4.5cm

Anna de Ville uses her superb silversmithing skills to craft pieces of jewellery which represent some iconic birds, focussing on the patterns found in their plumage in a series limited edition and unique brooches and necklaces.

Puffin Pendant, sterling silver with 18ct gold, limited edition piece (from an edition of 25), 2.5 x 4.25cm on 16” chain

Anna’s work is distinctive in its use of contrasting oxidised and polished silver. The shape of the piece is sawn from a sheet of silver and the design built up a layer at a time. The areas to be applied are cut out with very sharp snips and then soldered into place. The last details are made with fine silver wire and granulation and the background is engraved to enrich the texture. The whole surface is painted with an oxidising solution and selectively polished off to create a black and white design.

Autumn Snipe, sterling silver and 18ct gold with Mexican fire opals on 14" 18ct gold choker, unique piece, 5.75 x 6.25cm on 14" choker

Anna uses semi-precious stones and touches of 18ct gold to enhance the designs of her unique pieces such as this stunning ‘Autumn Snipe’.

Anna de Ville was born in 1948 and educated at Nottingham Girls School. In 1967 she trained at City of Birmingham College of Education and spent four years teaching. She has worked as a printmaker, chimney sweep, baker, busker, member of the band Ruggizzi Ramblers and the Baroque group Federigo.

Tree Creeper Necklace, sterling silver with mixed beryl, aquamarine and olive serpentine beads, unique piece, 5.5 x 3.75cm on 17” necklace

In 1985, an inspiring silversmithing evening class prompted her to set up a bedroom workshop where she made spoons and jewellery with a few simple hand tools. A chance meeting with a designer/maker at the Midland Arts Centre encouraged her to think of setting up in business. She started showing her work with Design Gap at trade fairs and in 1990 she moved into a shared workshop in the heart of the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. To someone who is essentially self-taught, the help and encouragement of other designer/makers in the Quarter has been invaluable and tools and materials are just round the corner.

Sea Eagle Necklace, sterling silver and 18ct gold with carnelian, limited edition piece (from and edition of 25), 5.75 x 5.75cm on 18” necklace

In 1997 Anna was a founder member of Centrepiece, a group of Birmingham jewellery designer/makers, dedicated to promoting contemporary jewellery in all its variety. The group had an annual selling exhibition at Symphony Hall, Birmingham for many years. Anna has shown and sold her work all over the British Isles and abroad in mixed and solo exhibitions. From 2006 until 2018 she was an exhibitor at the annual British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water.

Although arthritis is slowing her down, Anna hopes to continue to do small exhibitions in selected galleries, one off pieces and commissions. The Castle Gallery is delighted to be among the few ‘selected galleries’ Anna continues to work with.

View all of Anna's jewellery here