Jolomo’s lockdown photo proect goes global

A project launched by a wellknown Mid Argyll artist to brighten up lockdown has attracted participants from as far away as Australia, Hong Kong and the USA.

Tayvallich-based John Lowrie Morrison – known as Jolomo – who is best known for his landscapes of Scotland in high-key colour, was amazed by the response when he encouraged fans on social media to share images of the colour around them.

The artist received stunning photographs from Scotland, the UK and around the world, which were shared with thousands of others on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #coloursoflockdown.

John said: ‘Colour is very important in my work. The colours in my paintings developed an even brighter hue in lockdown, as if my spirit was compensating for the time of darkness the world was going through.

‘When people ask me where I get my colours from, I tell them to look a bit harder. There is colour almost anywhere.

‘I wanted to encourage people to notice the colours around them in lockdown, even if they couldn’t travel far, because it lifts the spirit.

‘The response has been amazing and some of the photographs are superb. It’s against the spirit of the project to turn it into a competition, but some of the pictures were so strong they deserve a wider audience.’

People responded with images taken on cameras and mobile phones, on daily walks or capturing views from windows.

The photographs include a cow in the setting sun from Queensland, Australia, sunset on a beach in Calpe, Spain, and a view of the city lights from a balcony in Hong Kong.

Images from Scotland include a rare ‘fogbow’ – or white rainbow – from Shetland, spectacular sunsets from Oban and Machrihanish, the sunrise at Hopeman in Moray and a little girl playing in a park in Falkirk.

Many people commented seeing the photographs helped cheer them up in a difficult time.

One wrote: ‘The photos have been stunning, beautiful and inspiring, which has helped us through this unprecedented time.’

Another said: ‘Although I’m a key worker and have worked through lockdown, I can’t believe how much I am noticing colours now.’

Left: Christyne Dunk from North Roe, Shetland, took this photo of a rare ‘fogbow’ or white rainbow from her parents’ garden at Newton, Skea, Northmavine, during a social distancing birthday visit.

Kyle Paterson from Airth, Falkirk, took this picture of his wife Joanna and daugher Phoebe in a park in Airth, with the dark clouds of a spring storm in the distance.

Right: Catherine Hodge took this from her balcony in the Mid Levels, Hong Kong, looking towards Victoria Harbour. ‘I really enjoyed seeing the #coloursoflockdown vistas on social media, so I thought I’d share some Hong Kong colour.’

Ian Henry from Oban took this image one evening in April on his iPhone8 – no filters – from Pulpit Rock, Oban, looking over the island of Kerrera down the Sound of Mull.

Belinda Kruck from Warwick, Queensland, Australia, took this shot on an afternoon walk. She said: ‘I was hoping to capture an image of the sunset colours against the foreground of our dry country. The cow was a bonus!’

Left: James Dewar from Peat Inn, Fife, took this shot from the road between Elie and St Monans, stopping the car to capture the moment when the sun broke through the clouds.

Above: Raymond Hosie from Campbeltown took this photograph at the Pans, Machrihanish, looking towards Islay and Jura, at about 10.30pm on a June evening. ‘It had been damp, dreary and overcast the entire day – which also happened to be my birthday,’ said Raymond. ‘As the sun set, the colour got more and more intense.’