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A New Twist to the Old Tartan

Earlier last week we were contacted by R.L. McIntosh, a contemporary artist in the United States, who emailed and expressed gratitude for www.scotclans.com, it being an “invaluable source of INSPIRATION”. Needless to say we were curious as to how we could have elicited such a response. Once we visited the artist’s website, www.rlmcintosh.com we understood.

Tartan Painting by R.L. McIntosh

McIntosh, an accomplished artist, creates bold and thickly layered paintings inspired by the graphic nature of traditional Scottish tartans. The work however, is far from traditional. Refreshingly contemporary, the paintings although clearly based upon a specific tartan, have a three dimensional quality that begs to be touched.

“While taking the obligatory pilgrimage up the Royal Mile,” says McIntosh, “I purchased the book Scottish Clans & Tartans by Ian Grimble. I figured it would be a nice, not too tacky, souvenir to show folks back home. It was on the plane ride home that I started looking at the illustrations. I became almost fanatical about figuring out how to translate what I was looking at into an engaging piece of art that spoke directly to the people of our time.”

Being a member of Clan Mackintosh of North America and only vaguely aware of Scottish history, McIntosh became interested in learning about the legendary battles between the clans and the proud history of warfare associated with the tartan. This led to the creation of a series of paintings entitled “Battle Cry” which is dedicated to unknown fallen warriors. (The artist claims to actually say “thank you for your sacrifice” with each brush stroke.)

The latest series of paintings “Céilidh” is as the artist states, “of a lighter mood and a departure from the artistic catharsis of the Battle Cry Series.” These paintings are even more sculptural in their application of thick solid blocks of color. In fact, McIntosh has taken the 3-D qualities of the Céilidh Series a step further and currently has a pending proposal to install a 60 foot long piece of public art at an airport depicting a tartan which directly relates to the airport’s location.

Given the recent record- breaking sale prices of contemporary art at both Christie’s and Sotheby’s this year, McIntosh’s work is available at reasonable prices. A 2 meter by 1 meter painting is for sale on the artist’s website for $13,000 USD. Smaller works in the same style range from $850 to $1200. The artist accepts commissions and is interested in showing the work in public spaces such as museums, universities, libraries or suitable corporate spaces.

McIntosh says, “I really like bringing these tartan paintings into a place where folks unexpectedly end up engaging with the work on more than one level.” The artist continues, “Depending on the venue, viewers might first be drawn to the technical aspects of the paint, or by instant recognition of their family’s tartan. In the case of the “Battle Cry” series the political aspect of the work is what draws people in. I like to educate the audience on all of these things as well as the history of the tartan and associated clan, its aesthetic and cultural relevance.

When asked what the future might hold, McIntosh replies with a smile, “Inclusion in Janson’s History of Art! But I would settle for a mention in Johnathan Faiers new book Tartan.”

Contact the artist at:
www.rlmcintosh.com