Jennifer McRae RSA

Jennifer McRae RSA TRAVELLING LIGHT: BUENOS AIRES & BEYOND

Travelling Light: Buenos Aires & Beyond 11 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2018

Travel to the unfamiliar is the adrenalin shot required in an artist’s working life.

Argentina was my creative fix recently; a vast and sprawling country of marked contrasts and Buenos Aires a buzzing and vibrant city.

These works evolved from my response to the strong light and the people. I often work with one individual but on this trip groupings became integral, forcing me to consider in abstract terms.

Shadows on city buildings in the strong clear light were sharp edged blocks of colour in themselves. Shape, colour and interaction were key, with everything heightened for the artist to work with.

Jennifer McRae RSA, 2018

Cover: Detail: Procession: fragment - oil on linen - 20 x 40cm

Jennifer during her time in Argentina, 2017

Newspaper vendor, Buenos Aires watercolour on paper - 10 x 15cm

Diminutive Madonna, San Telmo market watercolour on paper - 15 x 10cm

The Chinese warriors salt and pepper, San Telmo watercolour on paper - 15 x 10cm

Amber’s chair, balcony watercolour on paper - 15 x 10cm

Cacti on the terrace watercolour on paper - 25 x 10cm

The orange tree from the terrace watercolour on paper - 25 x 10cm

Male Plumage (boy against wallpaper) oil on board - 41 x 28cm

Boy watercolour on paper - 15 x 10cm

Garlic in a bowl watercolour on paper - 15 x 10cm

Buenos Aires, shadows and light watercolour on paper - 26 x 18cm

Palimpsest : 3 Gaucho Boys oil on linen - 54 x 110cm

From the balcony over the rooftops, Humberto Primo - watercolour on paper - 10 x 25cm

Buildings, Buenos Aires - watercolour on paper - 10 x 25cm

Old City : Recoleta graphite on linen paper - 48 x 36cm

Female Procession: Gauchos watercolour on paper - 67 x 101cm

Gaucho Children oil on linen paper - 36 x 48cm

Procession: fragment oil on linen - 20 x 40cm

Gaucho Boys watercolour on paper - 46 x 62cm

The glass table, San Telmo watercolour on paper - 31 x 43cm

Avenue of contrasts; light colour shadow, Buenos Aires watercolour on paper - 31 x 23cm

Looking over to Random House, Buenos Aires watercolour on paper - 23 x 31cm

Breakfast bar, Buenos Aires watercolour on paper - 31 x 42cm

Interior with Map, Buenos Aires watercolour on paper - 43 x 30cm

David, San Telmo watercolour on paper - 31 x 23cm

We two are one oil on linen - 40 x 52cm

New City, Palermo : Land, Tilcara [diptych] oil on linen paper - 48 x 72cm

Male Gauchos watercolour on paper - 14 x 99cm

Female Gauchos watercolour on paper - 14 x 63cm

Sayuri’s boxes watercolour on paper - 10 x 15cm

Quotidian Detritus oil on linen - 61 x 51cm

Angels, Female Gauchos oil on canvas - 20 x 40cm

Procession oil on linen - 70 x 165cm

BIOGRAPHY Jennifer McRae studied painting at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen from 1987-1992 and received a First Class Degree in Fine Art. In 2002 Jennifer moved to London after being offered a bursary place on the Drawing Year at the Prince's Drawing School. Over the years she has received awards from the BP Portrait Award, the Hunting Art Prizes, the Singer Friedlander and Kaupthing Watercolour prizes, the Morrison Scottish Portrait award, the Worshipful Society of Painter Stainers, London and the Royal Scottish Academy Exhibitions.

In 2008 she was the first Prize Winner in the RWS Sunday Times Watercolour competition and was also for the third time a Prize Winner at the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition held at Mall Galleries in February 2013.

In May 2014, she won the Ondaatje Gold Medal, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London and was Artist in Residence in 2015 at the Carnegie Club, Skibo Castle, Dornoch (courtesy of AIR residencies) Jennifer creates work that combines reality with imagination, working from life while adhering to her own sense of detail and expression of design. This particular way of working in turn feeds her inspirations regarding her commissioned portraits, opening up contemporary possibilities to reflect the sitter’s world.

Jennifer’s work has been exhibited both in the UK and the US and she has often used travel to search out new inspiration to feed the creative process. Her work can be found in many public collections including the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, Reading Museum, Singer & Friedlander, Aberdeen Arts Gallery, Garrick Club, London, Lord’s MCC Museum, The Royal Society, London and The Royal Collection, Windsor. Her work is also included in private collections both in Europe and the US. Jennifer’s latest portrait commissions have included Dame Judi Dench and Sir Chris Hoy. She has just completed her 3rd commission for the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London, of Baroness Gail Rebuck.

Jennifer McRae is a Royal Scottish Academician and has been exhibiting with Thackeray Gallery since 2007.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

AWARDS

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2008 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

1996 BP Portrait Travel Award, National Portrait Gallery, London 1999 Morrison Scottish Portrait Award, Royal Scottish Academy,

Edinburgh 1st Prizewinner 2006 Wales Portrait Award 2008 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition – 1st Prize 2008 Worshipful Society of Painter Stainers Runner up, London 2012 Lyon & Turnbull Art Award, RSA 2013 Scottish Arts Club Award, Royal Scottish Academy 2014 Ondaatje Gold Medal, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London

Anthony Hepworth Fine Art, Bath Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh Anthony Hepworth Fine Art, Bath Berkley Square Gallery, London Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh Gomez Gallery, Baltimore USA Beaux Arts, Bath Curwen Gallery, London Adam Gallery, London Bohun Gallery, Henley Thackeray Gallery, London Thackeray Gallery, London Thackeray Gallery, London Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh Thackeray Gallery, London The Carnegie Club, Skibo Castle, Dornoch Thackeray Gallery, London

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS INCLUDE National Portrait Gallery, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Reading Museum, Singer & Friedlander, Aberdeen Arts Gallery, Garrick Club, Lord’s MCC Museum, The Royal Society, The Royal Collection, Windsor, Firmdale Hotels, London & New York

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