Abercorn Park, otherwise known by the locals as Daisy Park, is a beautiful green space by the beach in Portobello (Edinburgh), near where we live. We go there often and stroll past the small drinking fountain that sits very comfortably within the landscape. My curiosity led me to try to find out a bit more about it, so I did some research, which revealed that the monument had been built to commemorate the life of a well-respected doctor who on one occasion made the most appalling mistake which resulted in the painful death of one of his patients. If you are curious to find out more, just google ‘monument to a murderer’
In July 1914 the Dewar Memorial committee told Edinburgh council they had raised £310 7s 4d to fund a memorial, the council agreed on the condition it could approve the design and would incur no expense.
Now, in 2021 the monument sits there in the park. It is an elegant, well-designed element in the landscape. We all enjoy it but very few are aware of the sad and tragic history behind it. When I walk our dog in the park, I contemplate the surrounding buildings, the landscape, all coming together in harmony but behind all of that there is the sad story of Jane Anderson and Doctor Dewar. Aside from the beauty of the park, I thought this was a strong enough subject that deserved a painting, so here it is.
PAINTING BIRDS
Producing architectural illustrations and painting cityscapes has always come naturally to me. I understand perspective, proportions and scale so find it easy to translate a view or a photograph into an artistic image. The prospect of painting animals and birds took me well out of my comfort zone, but I couldn’t resist the challenge of trying to capture the vibrancy of the colours and the different textures we find in the natural world. I’ve been particularly fascinated by birds and so far have produced a series that includes an inquisitive robin, an imperious eagle and an exotic quetzal I’ll let you be the judge as to how well they work…