Jolomo showcase set to open in Crieff
Celebrated artist to be welcomed back to local gallery
One of Scotland’s best-loved artists is to unveil a new exhibition in Crieff this weekend.
John Lowrie Morrison OBE – otherwise known as ‘Jolomo’ – will open ‘The Croft and the Lighthouse’ at the Strathearn Gallery from Saturday, May 7.
The showcase has been created to celebrate the two types of building John has been painting for more than 50 years.
John, who lives and works in Argyll, studied at Glasgow School of Art and worked for 25 years in art education before leaving to paint full-time in 1997.
His vibrant landscapes of Scotland in high-key colour quickly made him one of the country’s most celebrated painters.
And he revealed that he painted his first lighthouse at the age of just eight.
The renowned artist said: “I was on holiday with my mum and dad at Tighnabruiach when I started doing drawings and paintings of the Caladh Light.
“I’ve been fascinated by lighthouses ever since — I think I’ve read nearly every book on them!
“I love finding out about how the lights in the tower work and the different tower shapes, depending on how they’re placed. I also like the fact a lighthouse is important and stands so stately in the landscape.”
John went on to say his “obsession” with crofts goes back almost as far.
He continued: “I’ve been obsessed by croft houses ever since my first visit to the family croft on Harris as a child in the 1950s. That visit left an indelible mark on my soul.
“My father was born in a croft, and there are still many crofts in the family — many Morrisons, MacLeods and MacSweens, not just in Harris but also Lewis, the Uists and the Isle of Skye.
“To me the croft house signifies hard work and resourceful people. I don’t include figures in my paintings, but I’ll paint a ladder leaning against a wall, an open door or gate, footprints in the sand, showing that someone was there.”
While he enjoyed painting during the coronavirus lockdown periods, John said he is pleased to be exhibiting his work in person once again and has also been encouraged by the strong current interest in Scottish landscape painting.
John added: “The painting of the Scottish landscape has a long history going back nearly 250 years. It felt to me that it was starting to die off during the 1990s, but it is definitely very healthy again now, as it deserves to be.”
Susan Bennett, owner of the West High Street venue, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming back John to the gallery — an association that goes back to when the gallery opened in 1994.
“John’s exhibitions have always been popular and busy, with the gallery at its most vivid and colourful.
“We also see many families visiting as ‘Jolomo’ is an artist children learn about through the school curriculum.
“We hope his work helps inspire the next generation of Scottish artists.”
The exhibition, titled ‘ John Lowrie Morrison: The Croft and the Lighthouse’ will run until June 5.
John is due to be at the gallery on Saturday between 3pm and 5pm.