Scottish Autumn

Auld Reekie had its hottest summer ‘since the 70s’ this year. A bitter wind kicked in as soon as the clocks went back and the city grows more ‘Georgian Grey’ each day. This collection is of Edinburgh, and its surroundings, just before the leaves dropped during a stormy night.

This is my first Autumn in Edinburgh.

Jupiter Artland closes its doors for the Winter season at the end of September, so it is never really experienced during the Autumn. Phylida Barlow’s ‘Quarry’ reminds me of what the world could look like after an apocalypse and there were no trees left. Or, perhaps, what Jupiter Artland looks like during a cold, Scottish Winter. ‘The Light Pours out of Me’, by Anya Gallaccio, is my favourite artwork in the sculpture park. The amethyst engulfs everything and reminds me of frosty mornings. Deceptively beautiful and ultimately treacherous.

The Royal Botanical Garden is (luckily) my back garden. The Demonstration Garden, where schools, students and community groups have plots, is my favourite part of the 70 acre garden. There is a wild, organic character to it, which inspires my soul. During the summer sunflowers stood 10 feet tall and sweet plums grew just out of reach of tempted fingers. At the start of Autumn it is handed over to nature and insects.

Scottish sea air does something to me. Bitter, clean, sharp and relentless. A palette of deep green and sapphire blue. This magnificent coastline gives me room to breath, time to think and a landscape to get lost in.