Linda Farquharson creates art of whimsical lyricism. Hers is a distinctive graphic style of pared down compositions and delight in pattern making, contrasting the monochrome qualities of relief printmaking with the evocative possibilities of colour. A gentle humour pervades much of her work: lolloping hares, a worm tugged from the earth, a coy Eve with her apple, mermaids arranged like sardines in a can. She is an instinctive 'makar': storytelling is at the heart of her work and she draws on motifs and inspiration distilled from a childhood growing up on an Aberdeenshire farm. Reflecting a time when rural life was marked by tradition - the farming and church calendars punctuated by festivals, picnics, ponies, and local seaside holidays - Linda's work reveals a profound love of nature, leavened by the quirks of humanity.
This specific work depicts a creature from the myth, the minotaur, symbol of blind violence, a red spot againtst the colder colors of the labyrinth, his prison but also a concept that is rooted deeply inside human collective consciousness.
Linda studied Illustration at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, graduating B A (Hons) in 1986. She specialised in relief printmaking and continues to work primarily with lino printing and wood engraving. For many years she worked as a commercial artist based in Edinburgh, while also exhibiting her prints nationally. Recent commissions include W. B. Yeats's Irish Fairy and Folk Tales (for The Folio Society 2007) and Sir Walter Scott's, 'The Lady of The Lake' (for The Association for Scottish Literary Studies 2010). Now based in Highland Perthshire, her work remains infused with the outdoor world and inspiration is never very far from her back door. A recent series of prints features birds in flight, experimenting with repeat elements through collage and cut-out techniques.
