Week One - #1

Jackie Berridge

Telling Tales

Oil on Linen

I first want to start my exploration of the fine art in the Royal Scottish Academy by addressing this oil painting “Telling Tales” By Jackie Berridge. My entire project over the course of this year has been about telling tales of Scottish myths and legends and I am slowly piecing together a way that I can tell them through a painting or drawing. I love this painting because there is so many different scenes that are simultaneously informative and mysterious. I have been really consumed with focusing on one subject in my art coming from a portrait background, but I love the way Berridge has let go of the strict boundaries of space and made sure that a litany of subjects are presented despite being somewhat unrealistically placed. Her colors and her composition really mirror a childlike artistic vision that starts off very pure in their design and goal of trying to make a good painting. I would love to learn from this and find a way to let go of some of my tedious rules of realism in my art.