PEEBLES artist Moy Mackay is providing ‘bucket list’ experience to art students in Spain before returning home for new exhibition opening.

Young artists have been hardly lacking inspiration this week after spending a fortnight in the Alora Yurts in Southern Spain.

With the focus on finding a renewed confidence to ‘cut’ and ‘card’ along with incorporating many learned techniques into each individual art work, the students had little time to relax.

One of the many delighted artists, who returned to their homes this week, said: “What do you do when in need of inspiration or a boost of confidence in your felt art journey?

“Take part in a residential workshop with Moy Mackay in Andalusia of course.

“A course with Moy has been on my bucket list for such a long time, I just wish I had done it sooner.

“Having three days of blissful opportunity to observe Moy closely as she works her magical, colourful powers, combined with careful guidance from her in our own projects. And have stunning meals too.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better."

Moy waved adios to her tutoring fortnight in Spain as she returned to her home in Peebles.

However, there is no time to rest as she is back working in the studio and gallery where her staff are already gearing up for the third exhibition in 2019.

New visitors to the area alongside gallery regulars will be able to visit the exhibition from Monday.

It will feature a trio of leading artists including the work of Nancy Turnbull, who has been painting Scottish landscapes for many years.

She works with a palette knife, large brushes and rags to quickly produce canvases which are textured and thoroughly contemporary.

Colour is the key element in her work, she uses the soft muted tones of the Scottish landscape to suit her realist palette.

Her scientific background has given her a strong interest in the natural world inspiring her to paint by observing nature.

Nancy Turnbull remarked: “There must always be a reason for painting a particular landscape; something that sparks the imagination, something that only an artist’s eye would observe”.

Also showing will be Tom Sutton-Smith who grew up in Scotland, beginning his career in a commercial art studio and attending Edinburgh College of Art.

After a busy, successful career working as an art director in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg, Tom decided to change his life and fulfil a lifelong ambition by painting full-time.

Now living in Scotland, he works mainly in oil on canvas on a broad range of subjects including portrait commissions.

Ian Rawnsley, the last in this impressive triad of leading artists, is a full-time contemporary artist exploring seascapes and landscape in both abstract and representational forms.

In recent years, Ian has been committed to therapeutic creativity as an extension to his work as a full-time artist developing workshops and projects to promote well-being for both children and vulnerable adults.

His latest artistic venture draws together painting, literature and photographic coverage in a three-year project that will take him to sea from Iceland to the edge of the Mediterranean.

Following on from the Spanish success Moy has now begun her first Scottish Residential at her new studio in the Tweed Valley.

The felted painting workshop is running till May 12, just in time for Moy’s exhibition launch the following day.