Arran Open Studios

My Sistine chapel in Kildonan. During Lockdown I had a commission to paint a mural on the walls of the Easmor power house. The storyline was by Albert from Easmor Ecology you can ask at the cafe for a key and sometimes its possible to see it.

I had only ever done watercolours. I learnt to airbrush and after a lot of practise walked along the shore and into the woods and down to the grass roofed hut each day to paint. One day the paint was not working properly it had frozen! There were icicles hanging like stalictites on the cliffs above the river. It was a hard working envirnoment with the sound of the hydro booming and stepping over all the machinery.

The mural depects workers and partners as dwarves and fairy creatures at The hydro plant using a waterwheel to turn water into gold which is given to the fairies. Who turn it into childrens hopes and dreams. A toad and 2 rats try to escape with the gold but are stopped by the Wizard Albert and his fairy helpers. The tortoise shows the wisdom of the ancient woods with the solstice fire. The wild cat is based on my cat Chitra who was chased by Barry the dog. The dog is up the tree as in real life he chased a squirrel 15 foot up a tree and got stuck. Ross is cleaning the intake to the water pipe at the top of the waterfall which is depicted by the girls face.

https://youtu.be/zD7octl929Q?si=dG4azTRiWbmQcGJH

I also airbrushed the Swordfish Bi-plane in the P.H.T ontop of someone elses mural of Holy Isle. I using their colours to reflect on the plane. Inspired by the sea trialls of a floating runway in Lamlash bay.

I also do commissions of murals and portraits of people and animals.

www.zabdikeen.com ...

I contacted the Salamander Stove company and told them I loved their logo and asked if they would barter a carving for their Hobbit woodburning stove. They agreed and have hung it on their shop - then I went and I bought half an Arran oak tree that was lying at the sawmill and had it sliced up. It had been lying fallen and had seasoned for years.

First I asked for one slice then I decided I would take the lot! Some has been turned into oak window seats with a hand hewn "bahooky" (Scottish word for bum) shaped hollow to sit in and shelves underneath. I still have some waiting for the next project. ...

Welcome to the start of the Arran open Studios social media takeover. I am Zabdi Keen a Sculptor and environmental artist.
I was brought up by the tide! I moved to Arran when I was 6 years old and lived in a caravan on the shore in Kilmory for a number of years. We had no electric and no running water - pencils were our entertainment and collecting driftwood to burn on a little fire, some of which I would save and turn into things. I started carving when I was 6, my mum had been leant some wood carving tools but I cut my finger and they were taken off me. The next carving I did with a screwdriver! ...

Exciting opportunity for artists/graphic designers.
Contact @arrangeopark for further details ...

@isleofarranglassart
2 fused glass pieces.
Paul’s workshop is open by appointment throughout the year. ...