Take Me To New Lands & Then Take Me Home features 23 of Sarah McFadyen’s paintings, as a response to the theme of “Bridges Between”. McFadyen playfully merges dramatic ocean scenes with portraits of colourful, enigmatic sea creatures in her exploration of the marine world. The characters in this story are full of personality: portraits of fish fondly named “Polly” and “Iris” peer out from under cartoonish lashes. Alongside, fast-paced scenes of struggles at sea are rendered in streaks of marine tones. This display is dramatic, exciting and spirited – McFadyen has used every shade in the paintbox, and used every brush stroke in doing so. The effect is a tapestry blending dynamic scenes and character portraits, sometimes exciting and sometimes meditative, in a story of exploration and discovery.
Sitting in the centre of the composition are “Tree Portal(s) For Autumn/Spring”. With their fiery autumnal oranges, these trees on the edge of the seasons celebrate the beauty of transitional moments. McFadyen describes the importance of anchoring herself in the present, and as her Tree Portals mirror the falling autumnal leaves visible through the gallery window, reminds us that we, too, should recognise the beauty in these stages of transformation.
“Cave Baby”, the farthest piece from the entrance, offers an optimistic resolution to the quest for home that MacFadyen says is so central to her reason for painting. It shows a figure sitting encircled by confident swirls of neon, bubbly sea creatures and slender bodies. “Cave Baby” is a comforting vision, reassuring us that we may find a safe space in a world that is constantly in flux. Here, in the cosy bustle of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, the exhibition is aptly placed to encourage us that we don’t have to be seeking an end goal, that comfort and pleasure can be found amidst the hustle and bustle of life.
Image taken by Eliza Lewin