February 6, 2015
JERZY MAREK 1925 2014
Many will be aware that Jerzy Marek (George Murray) passed away in April last year. Since then I have had many people contacting me about him and his work from all over. I knew him only during the last few years of his life, and it was apparent early on to me that he was indeed a man of considerable influence in the world of naive art. He used to talk about what has become known as the “Marek Circle”, which is a reference to the many naive painters he encouraged and promoted. Particularly in the North West of England around the Preston area where he lived. He moved to Portobello in Edinburgh about 1984 where he lived for the rest of his life.
I am currently starting on what will be a long process to create an archive of his work and his life in
his wonderful world of naive painting. Full of exotic cats, lions, mad sheep, Swans, Love birds, pigeons and many depicting his love for football (he supported Arsenal). Boxing and tennis were among other sports he painted. Fortunately he has left a large quantity of images of his paintings, as well as images of many of the painters he would have worked with. For instance, William Dafter, Gladys Cooper, Margaret Baird, Antony Miller, William Woollard, to mention just a few of about 40 people he encouraged and gave confidence too from the 1960s onwards. Even myself, I took a lot of confidence in my work from his words and wisdom, showing me different ways of looking at what I was doing.
And that is where I hope many of you come in, hopefully many of you will feel as I do about this charismatic man and help me with the task of trying to make sure he will not get lost in the sands of time and forgotten. I am looking for people who have over the last 45 years or so been lucky enough to own one or some of his paintings. I know people do have collections of his work. People who have met him and the impressions he created on them. Curators of galleries where his work is in permanent collections, The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art for instance. Owners of galleries that have shown his work, here in Scotland and England, as well as in his native Poland and other countries. With your help, lets try and make a fitting archive of appreciation for Jerzy Marek, a man who touched all emotions through his paintings. But best of all he mad e us laugh.
You can contact me on (email is best)
lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk 07846105487
March 4, 2013
Tha Armadale Salmon Fishers
On the 22nd february this film by Stephen MacMillan of New Moon Films was shown to a packed enthusiastic audience at Strathy in Sutherland. The closest venue to where the film was made.
You will be aware I saw the original version in Portsoy last year when this excellent film was about an hour long. (See the film premier below) Since then it has been edited again and it is now just under one and a half hours long. It is a much better film, now much pacier, easier to follow and has, Stephens stunning photography of the work these guys do, to catch the wild silver salmon in one of the hardest working envoirments there is. The work is by far the best film made about this, one of the oldest methods, of salmon fishing there is.
There is a link to the film at present for those interested in seeing the it, which I am happy to send to anyone who emails me at lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk Not to be missed
Tel 07846105487 e mail lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk
May 22, 2012
Have the Armadale Salmon Fishers moved?
Is this the most beautiful fishig cove in the world?
Back in the day, as they say, in the middle of last century before modern gizmos of the satnav etc to guide you to a destination were invented, there was an incident that is forever etched on my mind. The kids in Armadale were mucking about as usual in front of the old post office, when this huge lorry came round the village road end, crawled along the narrow road and came to rest at the post office. To us, then, it was by far the biggest truck we had ever seen. Bright red in the colour of British Road Services, and it had eight wheels. On the back, massive machinery, which for little people like us you would not beleive.
“Can you tell me where the coal mine is please?” asked a bemused and very confused driver, to an equally bemused bunch of scruffy kids and the post mistress. After a while and getting the use of the only phone in the village at the post office he realized he had become lost somewhere about Stirling, but somehow managed to carry on for another 250 miles or so to our wee village on the far north coast of Scotland in Sutherland. Mamam, the post mistress, made sure this intrepid lorry driver was fed and watered with her best highland hospitality of scones and brander bread. And after going through the difficult process of turning this huge lorry laden with what turned out to be coal cutting machinery, without power steering, he was on his way south again to the town of Armadale in West Lothian, never to be heard of again. However the story did make the news papers, who with a profound grasp of the geography of our land, Scotland, correctly pinpointed the misreading of the lorry drivers satnav of the day, a map.
The point of this story relates to a small report in a well known Aberdeen newspaper about a film, Armadale Salmon Fishers by Stephen Macmillan which was shown earlier this month in Portsoy. It appears the writer is not aware there are three locations of this name in Scotland, or of any modern gizmos for discovering the location of the village of Armadale for the report. So the Salmon Fishers of Armadale in Sutherland was moved to the town of Armadale in West Lothian, the only one of the three to be landlocked. Possibly Just another example of how unaware people are nowadays about the fundamental basic of all geography……..where you are in the world in relation to the rest of it. An observation I would suggest bourne out by tele quizes where almost all questions relating to geography and Scotland are answered incorrectly.
May 14, 2012
The Film Premier
Its not every day one finds themselves in Portsoy, or at the premier of a film.
But the Old Salmon Bothy venue in Portsoy, and the occasion came together last weekend 5th may for the first showing of a new film by Stephen Macmillan about the salmon fishers of Armadale in Sutherland. Armadale is the village I grew up in, as you may know from other posts on this blog, so to see this film made specifically about the salmon fishing there just had to be. Stephen spent about a year making the film, living in Strathy, and when you see the wonderful photography you realize much of his time must have been spent finding some quite superb locations to show the settings for this wee gem.
The pace of the 50minute film was quite slow to start, showing the way things are done preparing for the season. Building up to the height of the season in july and august. The crew increasing from two up to five. Working in some pretty rough conditions to land those magnificent fish.
James Mackay and his son Neil are the “stars” of the show whose family I knew back in the day.
Overall Stephen has made a fine film in the best location still left for this type of fishing, and maybe with a bit tweaking we will all see it on TV one day. That I really look forward too
Ann and Ruth were brought up in Armadale
Stephen at Portsoy to show his new film The Armadale Salmon Fishers.
A sad footnote is that Neil Mackay, James’s father, passed away a week before the film was shown. Neil was my boss when the Bettyhill school was being built so I knew him quite well, and I’ll take this opertunity to give my condolances to his family in Kirtomy.
Stephen Macmillans film company which he runs with his partner Amanda Partridge is New Moon Films where you will find out more about their work. I for one hopes Stephen will spend more time on that north coast looking at and recording some of the ways of a great part of the world.
http://www.newmoonfilms.co.uk http://www.salmonbothy.org.uk
lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk 07846105487
February 18, 2012
Tom Scott
Tom Scott (1854-1927) one of Scotlands very best watercolourists, was born in Selkirk and lived all his life in the borders country. While he was widely travelled in the British Iles, painting in all the places he went , it is for his paintings of the Scottish Borders that he has been best remembered.
His feel for his beloved border country is eveident in all his paintings. wether they are the peace in the rolling hills and lochs, historic depictions of famous events, or his fine pastoral scenes of border farming life.
Some of his paintings are currently available like this one illustrated which is “Eildon Hills from the sumit of Minchmore”. 
Other examples of his work are,
Philiphaugh Sawmill, is an excellent example of the old sawmill in Selkirk and an image that includes the artists house, Leslie cottage.
Oakwood Tower Selkirk, one of the famous borders keeps recently restored.
The lang road hame, pastoral scene of one man and his dog.
Caithness landscape with Morven. Morven is the highest hill in the county infamous for where the Duke of Kent was killed during world war 2 when his plane crashed there in bad weather and all personel were lost as well.
Caithness coast near Dunbeath. Ths view looks south.
All these pictures are for purchase, images and prices are available, full details on request.
e mail lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk or call 07846105487
October 3, 2011
Outsider art
Jerzy Marek and Margaret Baird, are the McCrea Gallery’s winter exhibitors from now until Christmas. Previous posts tell of the wonderful worlds shown by those two painters, and scrolling down the blog will show a number of the Marek images that have been on show. Currently there are 25 paintings by him on display, and enquiries are welcome. Margaret Baird on the other hand, who only started to paint with Mareks encouragment,at the age of seventy four, has to be the true essence of what this unique, facinating genre of art is all about. Since the first post about her work was put up, there have been many views to it and I do wonder who you are. Get in touch.
Fiona Corrance, Alan Pendreigh and CP Campbell and Lindsay McCrea and others also feature with new paintings and a selection will be posted over the next few days. But first I will be going to see the Freida Kalo and Diego Rivera exhibition in Chichester tomorrow with sisters Mary and Ruth, exciting.
email lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk tel 07846105487
June 15, 2011
Margaret Baird 1891 1979
In 1985 an interesting wee book called “A world of their own” was published about twentieth century British naive painters, featuring some of the most interesting artists at that time. It featured some famous artists like Alfred Wallis, L.S. Lowry, James Lloyd, Beryl Cook and others. Also Margaret Baird, is included with such luminaries, and on delving a little, discovered who this facinating painter was. It turns out she was Jerzy Mareks (George Murray’s) mother in law and he was instumental in encouraging her to paint after seeing a picture of a cat she did for her young grandson. Her daughter was also impressed, enough to give her some wall space in the gallery she ran in Preston. George tells stories about her with much affection and too many to regale you with here. She was 74 years old when she started painting and most of ther work was done between 1966 and 1974. and many of her paintings were her memories of her childhood growing up in Chirnside near Duns in the Scottish Borders
She had a patron who bought all her pictures at her first show in 1966, before the Arts Council at that time held a one person show of her striking paintings in Edinburgh in 1969. George reckons she only ever painted about 160 pictures and these were exhibited in top galleries such as the Crane Kalman Gallery, the Portal Gallery and the Grosvenor Gallery, all top London Galleries. A number of municipal art Galleries round Manchester, and the Glasgow city Collection have her work in their permanent collections Margaret Baird has to be considered a truely naive painter and through her paintings probably the epitomy of what the genre is all about.
The McCrea Gallery currently has some of her work on display, including an early examples from 1965 and 68 and one of her sporting examples showing cricket. Further information about her is available, and also if anybody has information about Margaret Baird to give to me, it will be appreciated
Tel 07846105487 e mail lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk
November 1, 2010
New Armadale painting
This year a number of paintings around the Armadale Sutherland salmon fishing have been completed and this is the latest. Again of the salmon coble leaving the shore with Harry Macdonald prominent and Willie Borden behind him, with the rest of the crew aboard. I recently was up north and had a look down at the bothy and to my regret the boat was not in the water. Tho’ the setting was as idilic as ever even with the weather very wet and blustery.
Full details from the McCrea Gallery
lindsay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk
07846105487
Image size 14cm x 36cm, oil on canvas laid down on board by Lindsay McCrea.
September 2, 2010
Jerzy Marek 3 of the best
These are the newest paintings by Jerzy Marek and each one is a gem. No sheep,dogs, cats or people and the first time he has painted poultry. The colour and humour of his work is exquistly portrayed in these images, enjoy.
Shangrila, glorious colour and the most unique trees in the world
Contented pigeon with a scary one looking at the butterfly.
The first hen picture Marek has painted with mother hen doing what hens do, fussing, and the cockerel with an air of confusion on his face. I like this one a lot.
These new paintings are all available from the McCrea Gallery,
e mail lindssay.mccrea@yahoo.co.uk tel 07846105487
September 1, 2010
Festival frolics 2010
The Edinburgh international festival and fringe is all but over and this year an increased number of shows have been gone to, with, as usual a mixed bag. Start with the best, thats what I say, and that turned out to be Danny Bhoy. I saw and listened to him a couple of years ago and his stories then as now about his observations of life and perdicaments were sharply observed and briliantly delivered to his audience.
The best hour I’ve spent in a while.
Just last weekend a highly recomended Nina Conti and her ventriloquisim, was a top show, with her trade mark monkey act proving most entertaining. Now I have not been to many such shows but this one seemed to stutter along rather than flow although her skill in seeming to realize when things wer’nt as they should be ,has to be comended in moving up a gear and quickly on. A number of unusual, possibly inovative, inclusions in her audience participation bits with the use of masks and her voices had the place in an uproar. The new puppet of her highland grannie was very funny but needs padding out and maybe by the time I go to see her next year she will have developed grannies unquestionable charm and wisdom. Monkey was good and I enjoyed the three way banter with the the two of them and the audience. The owl peice was disapointing…………very. Overall, Nina is a very funny lady with a fantastic feel for what she is doing and a show well worth taking in wherever you get the chance to see her. One big downside that threatened to ruin this excellent show, and contibuted to the stutter impression, was what I can only assume to be an insistance by her management to plug a sister show with a couple of its “stars”. They turned out to be American women who did more to ensure nobody bought tickets for whatever show they were in, than any revue. But worst of all, the American intrusion, because of its inaneity and lenght of time given to them in an hour long show, just about did for the sublime Miss Conti. Whoever was responsible for that move needs to be fired.
Now, the Man with tape over his mouth, presented a bit of a worry wondering how his comedy would work. Need’nt have been concerned, he was very funny, slick, and very very clever. Hard to describe but sufice to say nobody went home disapointed after he cajoaled and moulded his audience to help him with his mad capers. excellent. I understand he came from New Zealand, and if so he would be the only Kiwi in the world I know of who manages to stay silent for and hour.
Other shows I enjoyed included dance, more comedy and a revue in George Square, so a reasonable smattering of the fringe. But there is always one disapointment.
Burlesque. Now in my time I have been to a number of this type of show and usually enjoyed the variety of acts presented until now. Oh dear, what a third rate platter of mince Circus Burlesque turned out to be. I supose when the lass with the hulahoops turns out to be the star of the evening, it says it all. All the bored ladies who removed a never ending procession of gloves and not a lot else were dire. Not even claims of international careers for them by not the sharpest compare in the world, could mask their clumsy attempts at what should be the most aluring, sensual, erotic, sexy, form of entertainment, performed by anyone else in the world but this motley crew. Sorry girls that was a cheap show badly done and deserving of all the contempt it earns.
Took in a number of art exhibitions and enjoyed a number of the paintings I saw. Tom Shanks at the Torrance Gallery has been a long standing favourite of mine and his views of Scotland are always a refreshing joy. Colours Gallery too had a fine show with James Harrigan with, for me, one gem anongst a good collection of his current work.
In Dunkeld there was a small exhibition of paintings by Fiona Corrance, and photographs by her husband Gordon, at the Birnam Arts Centre. Fiona’s paintings, full of vigour, movement and atmosphere, wake you up after the motorway monotony up from Edinburgh. I like her work more and more and her paintings along the coast to Hopeman and Tarbet Ness clearly give her great pleasure in making.
In all a good festival which I enjoyed greatly the fare served up. Nearly all of the enjoyment was organized by family festival convener Mary, but with input from her victims from time to time. Loads of laughs lubricated with partaking of jollity inducing liquids and mixing with others clearly out for a good time as well. Sunday will crown all of the mad month with a picnic in Princes Street Gardens listening to the closing concert and reveling in the traditional firework display. I must look out my visi vest and hard hat so I will blend in.
Mccrea Gallery 