"As an artist living and working in the North East of Scotland I have often felt a little  detached from the centre, not only geographically speaking or even culturally but also in a very internal sense. Over the years I have found that far from being a disadvantage, this has informed my work and given it a personal meaning which would not otherwise have been present.

There is something which says to me that the sense of home should be somewhat at odds with the idea of being an ‘artist’ in that we should travel, explore and discover new things. However, after several years of making work about travel I have found the celebration of these quiet little places at home very satisfying.

As is always the case, outside influences have also come into play – my wife’s occupation as a gardener, references to literature, film and even dreams.

It seems that my work cannot be grounded merely in the ‘real’ world. Over the years all the fictions, unanswered questions and dreamlike imagery have become the backbone of what I do. I enjoy the mystery and often feel that the questions we have can be more valuable than the answers. I think there is something of that in these works."

Barry McGlashan