Bank Street Gallery
Tradition has it that for success, “go west”. Boldly heading east, from her childhood and early years in and around Glasgow, Fiona Haddow has nonetheless found success! Contrary in the best of ways, she has always worked in visual media, starting out as an exhibition designer at Glasgow City Council immediately she left college. Haddow resurrected her painting career around a decade ago, when her boys left home. Her vivacity – and tenacity – have stood her in good stead and are redolent in her signature paintings of Scottish wildlife.
Adopting a style that marries both caricature and graphics, Fiona has very quickly put her stamp on the Scottish art world. She sells wherever she exhibits and is now collected globally. Her stags, pheasants and cows (“coos” as she affectionately calls them), have personality. Indeed, even her thistles have charisma! Her images catch your eye. Not just because of their colour and composition, the work itself stops you; you will notice them! Each smiles at you, winks at you and draws you in. Haddow achieves a physical reaction. Whether you are compelled to leave your seat in a restaurant to examine a piece or, like one fan who recently remarked of a stag, “He’s effin’ amazin’!”, most people have an emotional or corporal reaction to her work.
Working in acrylics, there is a spontaneity and speed in Fiona’s painting. Whilst painterliness is perhaps more manifest in her land and lochscapes, even these, her Scottish Highlands, pour character from the canvas.
Haddow herself has personality. Instantly open, sincere and engaged, you can’t help loving her. The same is true of her work.
This show runs from Friday 23rd September 2016 to Friday 4th November 2016.