Angus has a great coastline and this Auchmithie painting just hints at a portion of it. The problem is that Angus is often on the way to somewhere else. You should slow down and visit as soon as possible. (I mean, what is there to see at Balmoral Castle up there anyway?)

Auchmithie is perched on a clifftop and open to all the winds that blow (I would like to have said open to aa the airts – for the benefit of Scots speakers.)

The village is associated with the Arbroath smokie, a split hot-smoked haddock. Strictly speaking it’s two haddock, as they are always smoked in pairs. Nearby – and much larger – the salty town of Arbroath is mostly where they are created today. Would an Arbroath smokie make a good still-life subject? Let me think about that…

An Auchmithie Painting, the cliffs and coves of the Angus coastline

Oh, it’s all red sandstone, with holes, caves and cracks. Vertigo-inducing stuff.

In this picture the grasses in the foreground are scratched out with a penknife, the blue is evoking viper’s bugloss which is, uhmm, blue, (or maybe bluegloss), while the white is paint pinged off an old toothbrush and is a very messy process (but you’re worth it). It’s otherwise acrylic gouache throughout.

Here’s an Arbroath smokies recipe for making a great and slightly posh – starter. Don’t know why it’s on a painting page though.