Tregony Gallery: Euan McGregor I Claire Ireland BEACON

Exhibition Beacon brings together two artists both heavily influenced by their environments.

Painter Euan McGregor’s new series of paintings spotlight some of our most cherished buildings and their site-specific nature. All across the country lighthouses were built to be noticed, forming a ring of protection around the UK. Utilitarian and majestic, wedged, lodged, hoisted, inserted; painstakingly engineered into their hostile environments.

Fascinated with wild, erratic seascapes and unwavering solidity, McGregor uses high contrast lighting to bring out the features and facets of the architecture and environment, all varied in their proportions. In these uncertain times, the designs of the likes of Smeaton and Stevenson were built to last, so maybe it’s the familiarity and security of trusted things that resonates the most in his paintings.

Alongside McGregor’s striking vistas we are excited to show the work of ceramic sculptor Claire Ireland who uses her studio location, based on the grounds of a historical steam museum to inform her practice, absorbing the industrial heritage surrounding her, a significant element when developing new ideas. Seeking to catch the eye but hold the form of her sculptural pieces, all hand-built, to achieve a balance and fluidity between intuition, craft and concept in clay.

Euan McGregor
After graduating with a BA (Hons) in printmaking at Glasgow School of Art in 1998, Euan actively pursued a career in Fine Art, especially landscape paintings. He also teaches Art & Design in secondary school in Scotland. His influences include the St Ives School, Ivor Hitchens, Keith Vaughn and Milton Avery among others and is interested in mid-century British landscape painting and printmaking. He frequently exhibits in PAI, RGI, and RSA annual exhibitions and at British Art fairs. He has won several awards throughout his career and continues to exhibit across the IK.

Claire Ireland
Studied at Camberwell College of Art, BA (Hons) ceramics and printmaking 1981. Elected member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and Craft Potters Association 1999. Claire has been teaching various art and design courses from 1983 – present. Widely exhibited and collected, Claire is fascinated by constructivist assemblages and the pioneers of abstract art – Hans Arp, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Victor Pasmore and Kurt Schwitters have all made a great impression on her. Finding the varied and experimental approach to their work inspirational. A dedicated hand builder she revels in how ideas develop out of the process, experiments with materials and techniques. Often creating a series of small sculptural forms that serve as working maquettes.

Recently she has been drawn to more minimal and reductive strategies simplifying the structures but constantly enhancing and developing the surface. It is crucial that the surfaces she achieves envelops her ceramic forms and are integral to the whole. In her studio Ireland finds great enjoyment and creative impulse through making collections, arranging found objects and natural forms. The discipline of drawing, her continuous studies and a renewed passion for printmaking, are all essential components.

We are so thrilled to be able to share with you an exciting way to view art in our gallery as a 3D virtual tour. Navigation around the gallery is simple and fun, with no social distancing required. All the work is available to discover, choose and purchase in the gallery, online, via Instagram and on the website. The gallery offers a bespoke service to individuals including art consultancy, framing and shipping.

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