With great depth and perception, the author considers the work of one of Scotland’s leading painters from her earliest days at Kingston School of Art, through to her most recent commissions, setting it in the wider context of artistic thought. Her full range of work is covered, including still lifes, portraits, self-portraits, landscapes and interiors. The insightful writing, accompanied by lavish illustrations of Victoria Crowe’s work, gives readers access to the paintings as they relate to the different eras of her life. The artist’s studies at the Royal College of Art, her move to Scotland, the ‘Kittleyknowe years’ and ‘A Shepherd’s Life’ exhibition are all discussed, as are ‘Plant Memory’ (a series resulting from her visiting scholarship at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge) and the impact of her travels abroad, particularly her time in Italy. In the latter part of the book, the focus moves to the artist’s most recent work, including a reflective series of Venetian pictures and a significant group of luminous winter landscapes.

Victoria Crowe studied at Kingston School of Art from 1961-65 and at the Royal College of Art, London, from 1965-68. At her postgraduate show, she was invited by Sir Robin Philipson to teach at Edinburgh College of Art. For thirty years she worked as a part-time lecturer in the School of Drawing and Painting while developing her own artistic practice. She lives and works in West Linton and Edinburgh. Her first one-person exhibition, after leaving the Royal College of Art, was in London and has subsequently held over fifty, one person shows.