Catherine Eckersall
- Work
- Biography
Rural folklore sits at the centre of my work. Through the medium of painting, I delve into the hidden landscape: the folklore, history, and literature that colour perceptions of the natural world. These elements contribute to the forging of intimate, silent relationships between rural communities and their surroundings.
Using symbolism and narratives gathered from folktales and traditions, I seek to depict the sensation of physical immersion in the natural environment. I draw upon my personal experiences of rural settings based in Scotland and Ireland, in an exploration of the Celtic landscape as it is now. Combining these encounters with the mysticism of established tales and traditions, my work represents the wider experience of contemporary landscape.
My practice follows a process of distillation, slowly bringing together imagery from a large body of research relating to various Celtic landscapes. Visual research is gathered first-hand from these places of interest. This is pooled with folklore and fairytales gathered from literature. These various elements are layered together on canvas to form constructed settings, strange in their colour and form, but ultimately carrying a sense of familiarity.
Using symbolism and narratives gathered from folktales and traditions, I seek to depict the sensation of physical immersion in the natural environment. I draw upon my personal experiences of rural settings based in Scotland and Ireland, in an exploration of the Celtic landscape as it is now. Combining these encounters with the mysticism of established tales and traditions, my work represents the wider experience of contemporary landscape.
My practice follows a process of distillation, slowly bringing together imagery from a large body of research relating to various Celtic landscapes. Visual research is gathered first-hand from these places of interest. This is pooled with folklore and fairytales gathered from literature. These various elements are layered together on canvas to form constructed settings, strange in their colour and form, but ultimately carrying a sense of familiarity.
Education
• September 2016 – July 2020 BA First Class (Hons) Painting. Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen.
Exhibitions
• February 2018 - An Exhibition Yet to Be Titled. O.T. Bar & Projektraum, Berlin, Germany.
• April 2018 - SNAP. LivECO Cafe, Ruthrieston Community Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland.
• May/June 2018 - Smorg:ARTS:Bord. Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen, Scotland.
• March 2019 – Sanctuary [within a sanctuary]. Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland
• November 2019 - 2nd and 3rd Year Painting. Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, Scotland
• February 2020 – Gray's School of Art 4th Year Painting Exhibition. Edinburgh Palette, Edinburgh, Scotland
• June 2020 – Gray’s School of Art Virtual Degree Show. Online
• July 2020 – Visual Arts Scotland Graduate Showcase. Online
• February 2021 – the Four Pillars: Graduates Exhibition. Tatha Gallery. Newport-on-Tay, Fife, Scotland
• February 2022 – RSA New Contemporaries 2022. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• July 2022 - Summer Exhibition. Six Foot Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland.
• September 2023 - Vessel, Art Walk Porty Festival. Malvarosa, Portobello, Scotland.
Awards
• Carnegie Scholarship 2019: Received funding to carry out a research project on relationships to landscape in the South of Iceland from 29th July to 27th August 2019
Publications
• Packham, A., August 2020, Student Artists exhibit their final shows online – in pictures. The Guardian [online]. London: The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/gallery/2020/aug/21/student-artists-exhibit-their-final-shows-online-in-pictures
Summary of Work Experience
• Volunteering at Aberdeen Art Gallery as part of Gallery Late: TONIC event, 27th January 2020
• September 2016 – July 2020 BA First Class (Hons) Painting. Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen.
Exhibitions
• February 2018 - An Exhibition Yet to Be Titled. O.T. Bar & Projektraum, Berlin, Germany.
• April 2018 - SNAP. LivECO Cafe, Ruthrieston Community Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland.
• May/June 2018 - Smorg:ARTS:Bord. Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen, Scotland.
• March 2019 – Sanctuary [within a sanctuary]. Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland
• November 2019 - 2nd and 3rd Year Painting. Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, Scotland
• February 2020 – Gray's School of Art 4th Year Painting Exhibition. Edinburgh Palette, Edinburgh, Scotland
• June 2020 – Gray’s School of Art Virtual Degree Show. Online
• July 2020 – Visual Arts Scotland Graduate Showcase. Online
• February 2021 – the Four Pillars: Graduates Exhibition. Tatha Gallery. Newport-on-Tay, Fife, Scotland
• February 2022 – RSA New Contemporaries 2022. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• July 2022 - Summer Exhibition. Six Foot Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland.
• September 2023 - Vessel, Art Walk Porty Festival. Malvarosa, Portobello, Scotland.
Awards
• Carnegie Scholarship 2019: Received funding to carry out a research project on relationships to landscape in the South of Iceland from 29th July to 27th August 2019
Publications
• Packham, A., August 2020, Student Artists exhibit their final shows online – in pictures. The Guardian [online]. London: The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/gallery/2020/aug/21/student-artists-exhibit-their-final-shows-online-in-pictures
Summary of Work Experience
• Volunteering at Aberdeen Art Gallery as part of Gallery Late: TONIC event, 27th January 2020
- Catherine Eckersall
- Glenn Dearg
- Painting
- Catherine Eckersall
- Errigal
- Painting
- Catherine Eckersall
- Turf
- Painting
- Catherine Eckersall
- Moss
- Painting
- Catherine Eckersall
- Bulrushes Reflected
- Painting
- Catherine Eckersall
- Glass Mountain
- Painting
SHARE THIS PAGE