Keith Tilley Art Blog

Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe, watercolour, 25 x 36 cm Available for £240 Kilchurn Castle was built in the 15th Century, and was one of the strongholds of the Clan Campbell. It stands at the head of Loch awe, in the shadow of the mountain, Ben Cruachan. Location - https://goo.gl/maps/T4PnBxYXPh3RyJih7 www.keithtilley.co.uk

The Monument at Glenfinnan, watercolour, 15 x 25 cm. Available  £140 In 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard at Glenfinnan, and began his attempt to reclaim the throne for his father, James Stuart. This was the start of the 1745 Jacobite Rising, which ultimately ended in failure at the Battle of Culloden. The Glenfinnan Monument was erected in 1815, in tribute to the clansmen who died for the cause. Location - https://goo.gl/maps/CjYJJWEMiGhrZzkN6 www.keithtilley.co.uk  

The Beekeeper, watercolour, 13 x 18 cm. Available £70 One of my neighbours is a part-time beekeeper, and when I saw him working at his bee-hives I thought it would make an interesting subject. He was using smoke to pacify the bees while he opened the hives. www.keithtilley.co.uk

Old Fishing Station at Forse, watercolour, 16 x 26 cm. Sold. I came across these old buildings, tucked into the cliffs, on a walk along the coast. They are hidden away and forgotten now, but they were probably connected with the herring fishing industry, like many other shoreline ruins. www.keithtilley.co.uk

Loch More and the Flow Country, watercolour, 25 x 36 cm. Available. www.keithtilley.co.uk

Loch Calder Moorings, watercolour, 16 x 26 cm Sold www.keithtilley.co.uk

I'm always a bit jealous of people who live in areas where there are a lot of trees, at this time of year: the colours are so beautiful. There are only a few places in Caithness where there are trees in any number, so when the sun was shining today, we decided to go looking for them. One of the best places is Dunbeath Strath, where the birch and oak woods line the sides of the gorge, and make a very pleasant walk along the river. Further on, the path climbs up onto the open moorland, with wider views, and the colours of the bracken and heather are added to the mix. At times like this, Caithness always looks at its best, and it feels like there is no better place on Earth!

Engineering Work off Stroma - Watercolour, 16 x 26 cm The sea between the island of Stroma and the Mainland has very strong tidal currents, where the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea meet. This has made it an ideal site for the first commercial tidal power generation project in Scotland, and currently the largest in the World. The turbines are in the form of large propellers, similar to wind turbines. It's good to see a World-leading project based here in Scotland, and the Country is well on the way to having most of its energy from renewable sources. I am concerned about the effect on marine life, particularly the whales and dolphins which are often seen in these waters, but I hope the environmental impact is being monitored and taken into account. The ship in the painting was in the process of servicing one of the turbines. Location - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.6786532,-3.1498628,12z www.keithtilley.co.uk