Mary Batchelor
Contemporary artist inspired by the Highlands and islands
to a remote gallery on the island of Islay; from the Cotswolds and Home Counties, to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, her new work was received with anticipation by gallery owners and buyers alike.
Her love affair with painting began at school and she excelled in art. Her hope was that she would head off to art school, but, in the days when schools exerted significant influence over pupils’ choices, she was channelled towards a course in physiotherapy. Although she did embark on these studies, it was quickly clear that they did not suit her and she decided to leave.
Over many years she worked as, variously, an au pair in Paris, where she acquired a sense of style and elegance which never left her, an air hostess for British United Airways, which later became British Caledonian, and the co-owner of a hotel in The Scottish Borders. During this time she also married her husband Chas and had her son and daughter, Charles and Amy.
Busy years of work and family kept her thoroughly occupied, but she had never lost her desire to study art and, once her children were settled at school, she began classes at Glasgow School of Art in the early 1990s under the tutelage of Norman Kirkham, Peter Howson and David Linley, all of whom influenced and inspired her. She also admired the Scottish Colourists, especially the use of light and shade, as well as their seemingly effortless, confident approach.
After her time at art school, she began to exhibit, often with friends or as part of group shows and she joined Helensburgh Art Club. Her work was well received and it gave her confidence to continue and to evolve her own style – becoming looser and more assured as the years went by, resulting in an instantly recognisable technique. Although she initially painted in oils, she found that she was allergic to turpentine and turned to acrylics, to achieve a similar textural effect – happily, the medium also suited her in terms of rapid and flowing application which dried quickly, allowing her to work further in the moment, giving her the immediacy and spontaneity which she loved. She mostly painted on canvas or board, though she did also use watercolours for sketches and a series of Italian landscapes.
“With my work I try to do justice to the land and sea which I see before me, usually in Scotland,” she once said. “They are my passion and the reason I never struggle for inspiration. It is Scotland’s ability to surprise, no matter how well you think you may know her, which has always amazed me.”
As part of family holidays, she had sailed the length of Scotland’s west coast, often mooring in bays inaccessible by road. It was a happy hunting ground for less familiar, but nonetheless stunning, scenes which she could translate to canvas and bring to the attention of a greater audience.
Steadily her reputation grew and her work was much in demand; she was soon attracting invitations for solo or two/three-person shows from multiple galleries – a particularly memorable exhibition saw her exhibiting alongside John Bellany RA at Duff House in Aberdeenshire.
While she sometimes found preparation for these big shows stressful, she never lost the thrill of being invited and the pleasure of amassing a suitable collection for each occasion.
All that said, she was modest about her work and never relished private views; not because she did not enjoy meeting people, but simply because she did not like being the centre of attention.
A great supporter of charitable shows and events, she frequently donated paintings and prints to help raise money for causes close to her heart. Always encouraging, inspiring, kind and strong with an indomitable spirit, Mary Batchelor lost a long battle with illness on October 19 and is survived by husband Chas, children Charles and Amy, and grandchildren Jack and Theo, as well as her extended family and numerous friends from all stages of her life.