kim scouller artist

Buttercups

Bluebell Woods, Dumfries House

Dumfries House Residency 2016

I was very lucky to have spent most of May and a little of June this year on an artist residency at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. I was keen to return there having spent some time painting in the grounds last year, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. 

The Scottish weather was excellent with only a couple of days of rain and mostly sunny, midgie free days, which all contributed to the productive and inspiring time I spent there.

The bluebell woods and the woodland next to the Lugar River (a favourite spot) provided abundant inspiration, with spring blossoms, buttercups and summer sun highlighting the tranquil Scottish landscape.

Portraits in Four Colours

Small Scale, BIG STROKES

Artist & Illustrator Magazine Article

Woodland Walkies

Recent works by Kim Scouller

Mercer Chance Gallery

17th -26th July 2015

Opening reception Friday 17th July at 7-10pm

A Sense of Place is an exhibition of new drawings and paintings, which explores Kim’s experience of nature within urban, domestic and rural environments found in London and Scotland.

In May this year Kim was awarded a two-week artist residency at Dumfries House inAyrshire, Scotland. Having grown up in rural Ayrshire, Kim immediately connected with the identity and character of the area and quickly set about recording her direct responses to the unique qualities of this somewhat familiar place. The emergence of spring blossom, the river, walled garden and woods all provided ample subject matter and the immersive environment allowed the time and space to be involved in experimentation, reconfiguring her approach as she adapted to this new outdoor studio.

Having only really scratched the surface of the plethora of subject matter this wonderful location had to offer, Kim returned to London charged with the excitement of working directly from nature and ready to tackle a new subject. The residency acted as a catalyst for an exploration into both the wild and tamed nature close to Kim’s studio in north London and the beginnings of a new body of work.

In exploring new ways of seeing and experiencing the urban environment, Richard Mabey’s book ‘The Unofficial Countryside’ has been a great influence giving historical context and insights into the wild land around London. While delving into the nearby woods Kim is reminded of Mabey’s musing on city parks in the 70’s and while some of what he experienced still exists today, there is reason to feel optimistic about the diversity of these urban spaces supporting all kinds of life.

This idea of the wild within the urban setting and in finding a ‘sense of place’ are not only the stimulus for this recent work but have established a dialogue between the artist and the nature which she encounters in her urban dwellings be it within the city or other more domesticated ways of experiencing nature i.e. still life.

About the Artist Kim Scouller graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee in 2003 and then the Prince’s Drawing School, London in 2008 and has spent the past 12 years exploring a variety of approaches to representing life and the world around her.

She has exhibited widely throughout the UK including the BP Portrait Award and is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. Most notably in 2005 Kim was the winner of the Aspect Prize Scotland’s most prestigious painting prize for emerging artists.

Summer Windowsill Garden

Dumfries House Residency - May 2015

Royal Society of Portrait Painters 

Interesting article written by Roger Billcliffe from the Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow about artistic families in Scotland...nice to see we get a mention!

 “The conjunction of two exhibitions this spring from different members of the Goudie family – Lachlan and his father Sandy – set me thinking about the variety and quality of artistic families in Scotland. Thirty years ago I did an exhibition on this theme for The Fine Art Society – perhaps it’s time to revisit [...]”

Royal Society of Portrait Painters

Troon Art Club 

Exhibitions

Cabinet Show @ The Compass Gallery, Glasgow

Throughout November and December 2014

I have several small paintings on show at the Compass Gallery in Glasgow in the lead up to Christmas.

The exhibition is based on the idea of cabinet paintings which had their beginnings in the 17th Century and were displayed in specially designed cabinets to contain miniature objects like small portraits/paintings, preparatory drawings, reliefs and sculptures.