To coincide with the 200th anniversary of the start of the Union Canal, we are delighted to bring new work by Lesley Banks to Linlithgow.
"As artist in residence at Scottish Canals I walked the entire 137 mile canal network. With such a broad spectrum of landscape to cover I spent a lot of time walking and thinking, striving to capture the individual character of each canal.
Canal towpaths provide a little bit of everything, at once rural and urban, they offer unfolding transitional scenery. Hidden in plain sight they are footnotes to the main routes. Accessible to everyone, an easy flat continuous walk, no map required. With its unhurried pace of life, forever set by the past, the canal offers an opportunity for 'slow looking'.
With this in mind I have chosen to slow down and focus on a small section of the canal in and around Linlithgow. This attractive stretch of canal is a hive of activity, both water and towpath embraced by locals and visitors in a variety of ways. It is very much part of the community.
Through mixed media works on paper and oil on canvas I am paying attention to the changing seasons, the dramatic weather conditions and the present function of the canal for leisure.
The best journeys are worth repeating and on my returning visits to Linlithgow I am constantly amazed at how the shifting light, from dawn until dusk, reflects and alters the water."
The exhibition will continue until August 31st.
