Wild swimmers from Pitlochry have become the subject of a piece of art.
Perthshire-based artist Karin Borland has an exhibition titled ‘Homing In’ at the John Muir Trust visitor centre and gallery in Atholl Road, Pitlochry ’s main street.
In pride of place is a painting which used a photograph of the Dell Dippers - a wild swimming group who swim at Lady’s Dell, Loch Faskally - as its inspiration.
Framed by the branches of a mature tree, three figures test the water before entering with colourful floats.
Karin dived in and asked the swimmers if they minded being turned into brush strokes.
They appeared delighted and some vowed to pop in to the exhibition which opened on Saturday, May 7 from 10am-4pm.
Karin declared she has always been fascinated by the natural world.
She studied zoology at university, not art, but the desire to create always persisted.
She teaches art to children with multiple and complex needs at Perth ’s Fairview School. She also taught at Corbenic Camphill Community for about eight years.
During the last couple of years, inspiration had to be found very close to home and Karin began a series of sketchbook projects and art inspired by thumbnail sketches, ‘homing in’ on details and textures.
The work in this exhibition is inspired by photographs and sketches done around Loch Faskally and the Craigvinean Forest and shows the artist’s love for nature and the landscape.
“I was walking my dog in Pitlochry back in October when I came across a group of wild swimmers getting ready to go in the water,” Karin explained.
“The combination of the yellow autumn leaves and the bright neon colours of their bags and floats against the dark waters of the loch was really exciting. I asked if I could take their photo and they said yes.
“The photograph was so striking and for months I kept looking at it daunted by the figures. I paint landscapes all the time but I don’t have much experience of including people.
“In the end a big canvas called out to me and once I began the acrylic painting it came together really easily.
“I knew it was definitely one for the Pitlochry exhibition and now it even features on the poster for the show.”
Before the weekend opening, Karin had said: “I made contact with the actual ladies and invited them to the opening on Saturday.
“I am really excited to meet them as they have been swimming around in my head for months. I think they are quite excited to be the subject of a painting.”
The rest of the exhibition featured more views from around Loch Faskally, Loch Dunmore (the Enchanted Forest location), the poetry path at Corbenic and lots inspired by the Craigvinean forest just above Karin’s home at Dalguise.
She is on Facebook at Karin Borland Art and also on Instagram via @karin_borland_art
The opening times of the JMT Space Gallery might catch some people out, as the premises close directly after Saturday’s opening for 10 days until May 17. Then the gallery welcomes visitors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am till 4pm. From June, the JMT shop will be open more days each week.
See www.johnmuirtrust.org/about-us/visitor-centre/alan-reece-gallery
