Rosemary Oberlander Art

Based in North Berwick, a small coastal resort on the Firth of Forth, I grew up in Aberdeen where I graduated in architecture.

The sea and sky inspire me, as well as the natural forms of plants, whilst my architectural training means I also finds inspiration in the built environment, working in acrylics, pen & ink, or mixed media/collage. I am currently President of North Berwick Art Group.

During the summer I am most often to be found working in my beach hut studio at North Berwick harbour. The water looks different every hour, every minute. Smooth calm or rippled, sparkling under the sun or with an oily sheen. Colours are infinite – reflections of the sky, the dull reds and pinks of the stone harbour walls and the bright colours of the boats themselves. The shock of a bright orange float against the azure blue water, wavy lines of masts and ropes. Darkest shadows and dazzling sun sparkles contrast with each other.

I often depict the natural world through collage, building up layer upon layer as nature does. Large features are hand drawn using coloured pencils and applied upon a background made from acrylics and pencil. Often I incorporate natural objects – twigs and grass – as I build up the painting. Leaves are hand drawn, cut out and applied individually. I am fascinated by sunlight filtering through foliage.