Advent 5 – 5 December 2021
Good morning,
Behind today’s window are two images from Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Barns-Graham was born in St Andrews, and trained at Edinburgh College of Art, then joined a group of modernist artists at St Ives in Cornwall from 1940. This first image is a painting called Snow (Scene) St Ives, from 1947. Although of Back Road West in St Ives, at first glance it could be a wintry depiction of Pittenweem or St Monans in the East Neuk of Fife, not far from St Andrews.
On inheriting Balmungo in 1960, a house and small estate outside St Andrews, Barns-Graham divided her time between St Ives and St Andrews. A second image comes from much later in her career. Called Millennium Blue II, this screenprint from 2000 uses the cool colours of winter – white, black and shades of blue. But its title hints perhaps at hope in the turning of the millennium from 1999 to 2000, a new year, new century, new millennium counted from the advent of Jesus Christ. Indeed it is said that she took as her motto in her latter years words from Psalm 100: Come before his presence with a song.
The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust was established by the artist in 1987, and exists to enhance the reputation and understanding of her as one of Britain’s most significant 20th century artists, and through her legacy supports young people and other individuals to fulfil their potential in the visual arts. My lockdown walks often took me past Balmungo in which her studio looked out over the beautiful view.
Yours,
Donald.