One of our Leith School of Art Drawing Class projects was Leith itself. From the beginning I was drawn to the colours, lights and shadows of water and the skies.
One of my drawings was the Water of Leith, before it joins the Shore to reach the mouth of the Firth of Forth. I enjoyed drawing the expanse of the mile’s long river, the old stone bridge, and the modern buildings. Leith’s main harbour was once the present-day Shore, where ships could sail into the natural harbour formed by the Water of Leith, and was one of the oldest ports in the country.
My other two drawings were the Leith Docks, and in particular the Albert Dock Basin. My colour drawing, includes some reds with the small craft, a lifeguard rescue station, and an old telephone box. My focus was again the water, with the interesting Old Forth Ports Building, and modern cranes working in the distance.
My other drawing is a charcoal drawing showing the huge basin of deep water and a large ship using it, with the strong contrasts of light and dark to indicate depth and scale. Leith’s Forth Ports is Scotland’s largest enclosed deep-water port.
Biography
Brought up in Ross-shire, I loved the freedom and beauty of the area, and the wide-open spaces. Then to Devon for the end of my schooling, followed by a history degree at the University of Edinburgh. After that, the excitement of London and working on a magazine. Several years later, I was back to Edinburgh and worked in publishing. Now a family, I moved to the borders for our three sons. Years later, I am once again living in Edinburgh and much enjoying the culture and art.
