Joint exhibition marks 50-year friendship borne out of a love of art

A 50-year friendship borne out of a love of art sees a special reunion taking place with a new joint exhibition at the Orkney Museum. 

Opening on Saturday 5 October until 26 October, the collaboration - ‘New Works – 50 Years Union’ - is by Peter Tait and Graham Moffat, who first met while art students in 1974. 

Graham, from Kirkwall and Peter from Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, attended a one-year foundation course at Carlisle Art College before continuing their studies together at Sunderland University Faculty of Art, both graduating in 1978 with fine art degrees. 

This is their sixth joint exhibition; the previous one was eight years ago at the Custom House in Kirkwall. 

The public are welcome to join the artists in the Orkney Museum’s exhibition room for an informal chat about their work from 11am on 5 October. This event is free and will take around one hour. 

Graham said: “For those who are familiar with my detailed, fine liner/pencil monochrome images will now see a shift into a more colourful selection of works. Discovering polychromos coloured pencils during the Covid period, I have found a new lease of life working in this medium. 

“My influences are still the same, local Kirkwall street scenes, shore and rock structures, harbour and boats, St Magnus Cathedral and the occasional foreign scene that caught my eye while on holiday.” 

Peter Tait expresses his art in a different way, as he explained: “I work with many different kinds of media, often mixing pastels with oils, watercolour with pastel, in general always experimenting. I like to work in a loose sketchy manner. The sky and the sea are predominant in many of my Orkney works. The seasons also play a big part in my work, autumn colours and winter contrasts. 

“My Border landscapes are a result of many treks into the Cheviot Hills during Covid. Living at the end of the Pennine Way, I have explored the local hills regularly, enjoying the fabulous views. Over the years paining outdoors on site I have found regularly uplifting, painting on location helping me to keep my work loose and not over detailed, often finishing off in the studio room. As well as enjoying landscape my animal portraits have been commissioned regularly over the years. A small sample of my portraiture is included in this show.” 

The Orkney Museum is open Monday – Saturday from 10:30 – 12:30, 13:30 – 17:00. Admission is free.