Victoria Orr Ewing, 'Black Boat, Blue Dawn'

“I make paintings that evoke landscape, at times with an adherence to reality, at other times favouring reduction to abstracted colour fields. They hint at some of the ways we interact with landscape - notions of the vastness of cosmic space to small intimate moments of particular light in our personal environments. Or at times, abstracted images from our imaginations and memories.  

The commonality between them is a specific kind of light, a radiance between darker shapes. I select times of the day or weather conditions to evoke an atmosphere of melancholic grace. I give equal importance to every element in the painting, ensuring no hierarchy of meaning.  

My paintings can be devoid of detail but often create a small visual barrier, beyond which the viewer is rewarded with an infinite expanse of space. Empty wild places, often stark and haunting, carrying a hint of ominous beauty. My sources are increasingly diverse. I work from life and in the landscape, on the open moor or marsh. The more personal view from a kitchen window, blurred photography and frozen scenes television or film.  

A gloaming liminal world where vividly real places affect us as much with absence as presence.” - Victoria Orr Ewing

Now residing and working in South Gloucestershire, Victoria Orr Ewing studied Fine Art at The City & Guilds of London Art School.  

Growing up on a farm on a remote peninsula in Southwest Scotland granted Victoria the freedom that has significantly shaped her artistic vision and fostered a fearless approach to life. This freedom has allowed her to travel and live in various parts of the world including 16 years In the mountains of Southern Spain  

Victoria has exhibited at galleries and institutions across the UK and internationally, including The Fine Art Society, Edinburgh and Panter and Hall, London. Kevis House, Petworth. She was selected last year for The Wells Art Contemporary and ING Discerning Eye and this year was short listed for The Beep Biannual.  

Her work is held in public collections, including The Tuscan Connell Collection, Glasgow, Cawdor Castle, Scotland, The Ministry of Culture, Gibraltar, and The City & Guild Institute, as well as many private collections throughout the world. She has won prizes, including first prize in The Gibraltar International Art Competition.