As a Glaswegian trained in Edinburgh, Isobel Johnstone's work is full of colour and the light of southern places. Venice is a favourite subject, and pastel has been a starting point for acrylics which require transparent effects. Oils are generally used for larger studies, of Venice, London and portraits. Bright pattern is a new preoccupation in recent still lifes and prints of African babies.
Venice The first paintings of Venice were made from a rooftop altana near Rialto, but are now mostly from canal level. Recent acrylics are overlaid with aquatint patterns of the ironwork that is such a feature of the city.
London Trees and shadows play on familiar London streets and landmarks.
Still Life. Fruit and flowers combine with printed textiles and are an excuse to go to town with colour.
Prints As well as etchings, woodcuts and linocuts of city subjects and nature figure studies, inspired by a long-held fascination with Africa, follow on from last year's sunlit prints of Dog days.
Archive In this section is arranged a broad selection of older work in reverse date order to provide a reference collection, to give a glimpse of the background and context to the works in the main part of the site.
