Quiraing plein air

I’ve been planning to visit the Isle of Skye for the last four years and dreaming about it since forever. This year, my dream finally came true and I had five whole days there. Although that isn’t nearly enough to admire everything there is to see, it was enough time to rush through the bare minimum of the fantastic sites this incredible isle on the west coast of Scotland has to offer.

One of my absolute highlights on Skye was definitely the Quiraing - a landslip formed by volcanic activity on the eastern face of Meall na Suiramach. The name comes from Old Norse Kví Rand, which means 'Round Fold'. It is said that the fold was used to conceal cattle from Viking raiders.

We arrived there on a grey summer day, when the wind was chasing the clouds and creating little waves in the long grasses of the plateau.

It was one of the most epic scenes I’ve ever beheld. So it was a perfect occasion for a plein air session.

These were difficult conditions for a plein air - the wind not only changed what the sky looked like every 30 seconds but it also hugely impacted on lighting conditions and therefore the colours of the landscape. Of course, this only made it more fun and a better challenge!

plein air session at the Quiraing, Scottish Highlands

At this moment I was so very glad I had gone through the trouble of taking a lot of painting material with me on my trip to the Scottish Highlands this summer.

I hope you enjoyed delving into my creative process and discovering how my work comes to life!