The Yellowbird Gallery
At NorthLink Ferries, we’ve long been admirers of the artwork of Jon Thompson and the late Lesley Murdoch, which can be seen in the fantastic Yellowbird Gallery, found in the north west corner of Orkney, near the Brough of Birsay.
“We came to Orkney for a four day recce and we just fell in love with this corner like a lot of people do. It’s been perfect for us. Both of us are inspired by nature in all its glory – its parallels, reflections, bird life and landscapes.”
We asked in 2016 if they would be happy to answer some questions about themselves, the Gallery and their work.
Four years later, Lesley sadly passed away. However, Jon still lives and works at the Yellowbird Gallery, and this magical place is an essential stop on any visit to Orkney.
Q. Jon, can you tell us a bit about Lesley and your backgrounds and how you both came to be artists?
A. Both of us came from craft backgrounds. Lesley is trained in ceramics and I spent most of my time in wood, making furniture, wooden spoons and different things and then wooden birds. These days we are more artists than we are crafters.
Q. What drew you to Orkney?
A. Back in the 80s somebody said to me, “Head north young man!” and I managed to persuade Lesley to come with me!
Q. Can you tell us a bit about the Yellowbird Gallery and its location?
A. We are a small gallery specialising in contemporary art, in particular bird art and Orkney landscapes, situated in the North West corner of the Orkney mainland near the Broch of Birsay.
Q. Was there a particular reason you chose to stay in Birsay?
A. We came up for a four day recce and we just fell in love with this corner like a lot of people do. It’s been perfect for us.
Q. Where and when do you work?
A. We work most days, juggling between carving / painting and running the gallery.
Q. What inspires you?
A. I think for both of us it has to be nature in all its glory – its parallels, reflections, bird life and landscapes.
Q. What mediums do you work in and which is your favourite?
A. For me it has to be wood, with drawing and painting a close second, with Lesley she is really enjoying painting acrylic on large canvasses.
Q. What’s the nicest reaction you’ve had upon customers seeing your work?
A. A couple bought a large canvas of ours and returned to say that it did not suit their living room. So they changed their living room!
Q. Where can customers buy your art from?
A. Mostly from the gallery but also from our website http://www.yellowbirdgallery.org/
Q. We understand that you enjoy taking your holidays in Shetland – what draws you there?
A. Shetland is a little getaway for us – we love the wildness and the coastline, the beaches and the architecture, especially the architecture; the colourful wooden houses, Mareel, the museum – it’s all so lovely.
Q. Why do you think the Orkney and Shetland Islands are a popular destination for creative people?
A. Can’t speak for everybody, but for us great reasons to stay here are the birdlife, big skies, pace of life and Amazon!
Q. What advice would you give to artists visiting Orkney and Shetland?
A. Bring your brushes!
Jon welcomes visitors to the Yellowbird Gallery in Birsay, which is open most days. For more information please visit http://www.yellowbirdgallery.org/
By Magnus DixonOrkney and Shetland enthusiast, family man, loves walks, likes animals, terrible at sports, dire taste in music, adores audiobooks and films, eats a little too much for his own good.
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