RON LAWSON THE QUIET BEYOND
RON LAWSON
QUIET BEYOND’
We are delighted to welcome Ron Lawson back to the Strathearn Gallery for a major solo exhibition of new work by one of Scotland’s most iconic and collectable contemporary artists.
Marking his first solo exhibition in two years - and his only show in 2025The Quiet Beyond presents a rare opportunity to experience an entirely new body of work from an artist whose distinctive vision and atmospheric landscapes have captivated collectors around the world.
Exhibition launches online on Friday 14th November at 4pm
And in the gallery on Saturday 15th November from 10am
We welcome you to celebrate the opening of The Quiet Beyond with us as we unveil Ron’s new Solo Exhibition. Ron will be in attendance throughout the day, offering the chance to meet the artist and hear more about the inspiration behind his latest work. We look forward to welcoming friends, collectors, and new visitors alike to share in this special occasion.
Exhibition runs until 7th December www.strathearn-gallery.com
Having exhibited professionally for more than forty-five years, Ron Lawson has become one of Scotland’s most celebrated contemporary artists, admired by collectors around the world for his distinctive and evocative style.
Ron’s artistic journey began at just sixteen, when he joined the art studios of DC Thomson & Co. Ltd in Dundee - an experience that shaped the course of his life.
“From the moment I set foot in that art studio in August 1976, I knew that life as a professional artist was exactly what I wanted, and I’ve been one ever since.”
During his thirty-four-year career with DC Thomson, Ron continued to paint in his spare time, exhibiting his work from 1978 onwards. Inspired by artists such as Sir James Guthrie and Edward Seago, he devoted himself to mastering the complexities of watercolour - a medium he continues to use exclusively today.
By the mid-1980s, Ron began developing what would become his signature grey skies, and by the 1990s, his focus had turned fully to the Scottish landscape. His now-iconic depictions of crofts and cottages set against vast, atmospheric skies emerged during this period, capturing the solitude and quiet majesty of Scotland’s western isles.
In 2010, after decades balancing a successful publishing career with his artistic pursuits, Ron made the pivotal decision to paint full-time - a step that soon led to sell-out exhibitions across the country and a devoted international following.
“After a lifetime of painting, it’s still an enormous thrill to see my work completed, framed and on display. The reaction from people, some of whom have become collectors, is incredibly gratifying - it’s all the inspiration an artist needs to keep painting.”
Today, Ron Lawson stands among Scotland’s most collectable living artists. His dedication to watercolour, refined technique, and unmistakable vision continue to captivate audiences and secure his reputation as one of the UK’s leading landscape painters.
The Quiet Beyond
The ‘Quiet Beyond’ presents a remarkable new body of work, offering an intimate exploration of Scotland’s most remote and extraordinary landscapes.
Ron Lawson’s signature style - restrained, precise, and deeply evocative - captures the quiet resilience of crofting communities and the dramatic beauty of wild island vistas. Stone crofts beneath vast, brooding skies convey a profound sense of stillness and solitude, inviting the viewer to experience the landscape not just visually, but emotionally.
“Through continually studying and painting my croftscapes, I strive to capture a perfect vision of how it feels to actually be there - that immense sense of space and isolation. At times I’ll paint my memory of a place, exaggerating its remoteness to convey the feeling I experienced standing there, surrounded by majestic emptiness.”
At the heart of ‘The Quiet Beyond’ lies a compelling series of paintings inspired by Ron’s long-held ambition to visit St Kilda. Captivated by its history, isolation, and near-mythical atmosphere, he describes the experience as “like standing at the edge of the world.” These works depict St Kilda’s towering cliffs, deep black seas, and vast, windswept horizons - a landscape of both grandeur and silence.
The exhibition also includes a collection of paintings featuring the island’s resident Atlantic puffins, each capturing their playful character, bursts of colour, and lively presence. These works, like his landscapes, demonstrate Ron’s mastery of watercolour and his ability to imbue every subject with emotion and personality.
‘The Quiet Beyond’ stands as both a celebration of Ron Lawson’s artistic mastery and an exploration of his enduring fascination with Scotland’s most remote and remarkable places. It invites viewers to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in the quiet majesty that lies beyond.
Susan Bennett, Strathearn Gallery
THE HEBRIDES
“I remember the first time I became aware of the islands… we used to go camping every year as a family to the West Coast and on one trip I saw the ferry in Ullapool readying to head for Stornoway. After only ever driving to places in mainland Scotland for holiday, I just wanted to go on that ferry one day to visit an island - and Stornoway sounded like a great place to visit. Since that day, that vision and longing has always stayed with me.
My first trip was in 1988. I remember the first time the boat sailed into Stornowayeverything about it was extraordinary, I couldn’t believe that I had finally arrived on the island I had dreamt about for so long.
What struck me the most was how barren and different it was to anything I’d ever experienced before - it was a real culture shock. I was on my bike and I hadn’t fully anticipated how little infrastructure there was, so I was a little bit unprepared - and even though it was cold, lashing rain, I had little food and felt totally isolated, I loved everything about it and couldn’t wait to plan my next trip...”
Since that first visit, Ron has returned to the islands year after year, totally immersing himself in the landscape so that the feelings and emotions that the Hebrides awaken in him are evident through every piece he paints.
“I’m constantly striving to convey the feeling the Hebrides evoke and the emotional connection I have with the landscape. For me, the vast skies and stark, empty lands give me a sense of calm that I don’t feel anywhere else. I’d love to spend some time permanently on the islands one day.”
Dark Island Croft House, 17 x 30 inches
North Bay Barra, 17 x 30 inches
Barra Water, 22 x 15 inches
On the Beach (1), 15 x 11 inches
Blackhouse, 32 x 47 inches
Green Door and Sheep, 32 x 32 inches
Thunder Sky, 10 x 10 inches
Thunder over Barra, 10 x 10 inches
North Uist Cottage, 16 x 11 inches
Uist Coast, 16 x 11 inches
“I’d read a great deal about the history of St Kilda and had seen many photographs, but it was the landscape itself that truly intrigued me - it looked like the edge of the world, almost Jurassic. I knew I had to see it for myself. When I finally made it there, I was fortunate to spend four days on the islands. I was completely blown away by their sheer scale - the vastness, the towering cliffs, and the water so deep it appeared black. Since that visit, I’ve painted a few pieces inspired by St Kilda, but this exhibition marks the first time I’ve devoted a sizeable body of work to it. It’s an extraordinarily complex and demanding subject, and the impression it left on me has been profound.”
The Thumb & The Arch St Kilda (I), 11 x 30 inches
From left - ‘The Thumb’ – real name Stac Biorach (73m) and right – ‘The Arch’ – real name Stac Shoaigh
Boreray and Stac An Armin - from the East, 11 x 30 inches
Boreray (384m) and Stac An Armin (196m)
Stacs & Boreray St Kilda, 7 x 30 inches
From left - Stac Lee (172m), Stac An Armin (196m), Boreray (384m)
Tourist Boat Passing Boreray
From left - Stac Lee (172m), Stac An
Boreray & the Stacs, 16 x 47 inches
An Armin (196m), Boreray (384m)
Hundreds of cleits are dotted across all of St Kilda. It is believed the main purpose was for storing the birds the islanders would catch to both eat and use to pay the rent
Hirta Cleit & Soay Sheep St Kilda, 10.5 x 18 inches
Stac & An Armin St Kilda, 11 x 30 inches Stac An Armin (196m)
The Thumb & The Arch St Kilda (2), 7.5 x 15 inches
From left - ‘The Thumb’ – real name Stac Biorach (73m) and right – ‘The Arch’ – real name Stac Shoaigh. (Stac Lee and Boreray in the background)
Conachair St Kilda, 11 x 30 inches
Conachair (348m) and Mina Stac (61m)
Boreray, 5 x 40 inches
Dun St Kilda, 12 x 20 inches
Tourist Boat Passing Stac Lee St Kilda, 11 x 30 inches Stac Lee (172m). Main island of Hirta in background
PUFFINS
“In keeping with my collection of paintings inspired by St Kilda, I’ve also created a series featuring puffins. I’ve had a keen interest in birds since childhood, and puffins have remained a popular subject in my work over the years. I love their bright colours and lively characters - and with St Kilda being home to the UK’s largest Atlantic puffin colony and a major seabird sanctuary, I simply couldn’t leave them out.”
Puffin Blue, 16 x 22 inches
Puffin Partners Tapping Bills, 15 x 11 inches
Puffin Front, 12.5 x 8.5 inches
Puffin Walk,
St Kilda Fulmar, 11 x 22 inches
Bottom: Puffin Portrait (2), 7 x 21 inches
Top: Puffin Portrait (1), 8 x 21 inches
Puffin Dark Sky, 16 x 12 inches
Puffin Pair, 15 x 11 inches
Puffin Blue Sky, 7 x 16 inches
Atlantic Puffin, 20 x 27 inches
WATERCOLOUR SKIES
“For this exhibition, I’ve created a collection of full watercolour pieces featuring broad, expansive skies rendered in delicate, granulated brushwork, adding a further sense of drama to each painting. The process of working in pure watercolour is entirely different from my approach to gouache. Although I’ve worked with watercolour throughout my career and feel confident with the medium, this technique always carries an element of unpredictability - the way the paint moves and settles continually pushes me beyond my comfort zone.”
White Sands (2), 14 x 14 inches
Tiree Cottage, 10 x 10 inches
Hebridean Thatched Cottage(2), 14 x 14 inches
Mannal Tiree, 11 x 7 inches
North Bay Barra Low Tide, 11 x 7 inches
Green Roof Ardvenish Barra, 11 x 7 inches
Autumn Sky, 14 x 14 inches
Green Door, 10 x 10 inches
The Hebridean Coast, 20 x 60 inches
The Green Door, 15 x 11 inches
White Sands (1), 22 x 15 inches
Top: Balemartine Tiree, 9 x 60 inches
Bottom: Uist Croft & 19 Sheep, 9 x 60 inches
Uist Rock (1), 8 x 8 inches
Uist Rock (2), 5 x 5 inches
Sheep by the Green Door, 7 x 7 inches
Uist Fishing Shed, 5 x 5 inches
Top: White Sands Traigh Mor Barra, 9 x 60 inches
Bottom: Walking the Beach, 4.5 x 22 inches
Hebridean Thatched Cottage (1), 11 x 7 inches
Barra Red Roof, 11 x 7 inches
Croft House Soft Grey Morning, 17 x 30 inches
Uist Rock (3), 5 x 5 inches
Cottage on the Beach, 5 x 5 inches
