Author: Dinah Kolka. Dinah is the founder of Decadent Serpent and a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University with a BA(Hons) in English Literature. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Salisbury Review and The Mallard. She was also published in the Scottish Book Trust’s 2018 anthology Rebel. In 2023, Dinah self-published her own collection of short stories, The Search and Other Stories.

There is always something ethereal in Fiona’s work, whether it’s a landscape or a small wren perched on a branch. Inspired by the wildlife in the Scottish Highlands, she captures its beauty with a keen eye for detail. As the winner of the First-Time Exhibitor with the Society of Wood Engravers, she shows a great deal of commitment to her craft. It is clearly visible in every detail and every stroke of the brush. Her years of experience as an artist have truly culminated in the ‘Feathered Souls’ exhibition which focused on birds.

The artwork exhibited at The Alchemist Gallery consists of wood engravings, paintings, and etchings. There were large flagship pieces as well as smaller, extremely intricate wood engravings. The Alchemist gallery complemented Fiona’s work well – it used to be an old pharmacy with an old wooden staircase leading upstairs where the exhibition was taking place. It was a cosy space that made you feel welcome, which was precisely a way in which one would want to view Fiona’s works. Everyone was welcoming which added to the homely feeling of the exhibition.

There were also works by Sally Wild which fit in well with Fiona’s art, although very different in style as she specialises in linocuts, her subject matter was also animals one can find in the rugged Scottish landscape – goats and sheep. They complemented Fiona’s art perfectly, it felt like another side of the views one can find in the Highlands.

Fiona MacKenzie’s collection was inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘Hope’. Fiona wanted to capture the metaphysical within the birds. In the brochure for the exhibition, written by G.R. Halliday, an esteemed crime writer and psychotherapist, there is a note about reoccurring themes of the binary that permeate Fiona’s work. White and black, life and death. She often plays on this concept, the clash of two conflicting binaries.

We can see this in one of the central pieces in the gallery, which was the black swan, a medium-sized painting showing a black swan effortlessly floating through water. Despite the semi-bright background, it is a dark painting. Even the water has shades of grey and black, suggesting a grim undertone throughout. It elicits an eerie, reflective element that lingers long after seeing it.

But one of the most stunning flagship pieces of the exhibition was The Golden Arc (featured picture), a gorgeous 120cmx40cm painting with flying swans across the blue sky. The painting is dripping in gold, giving it almost a festive feel. I was amazed by the detail in the painting leaving me with a sense of awe at the colour scheme. It’s a painting that has been stuck in my head ever since.

But there was also a large collection of wood engravings and etchings. They are intricate and delicate, such as the Woodpecker wood engraving, it feels emotive, as if he is in motion, pecking at the wood that he was made from. It adds motion and a natural feel to the pieces that are really difficult to capture. The lines are cut with technical efficiency whilst still maintaining the creativity and chaos of the good artwork.

It was clear that the attendees at the opening were strongly enjoying the exhibition – many were caught looking at the wood engravings for a really long time, appreciating the intricacy woven into each piece.

As per the interview with Fiona which will be released next week, she often sees many different birds outside her windows. Often, her cat brings his small victims into the house, which serves as a study for Fiona. In a way, she gives them back their life, reincarnating them onto paper. This gives the birds an almost ephemeral quality, allowing them to shine once again with the brightness and zest that they have when they are flying about.

Overall, the exhibition was a great experience and it really tapped into the souls of the birds depicted. With the flagship paintings that offered truly a feast for the eyes, the artist lets us connect with the subject manner in a transcendental manner. I left being more appreciative of the little creatures flying around.

You can see ‘Feathered Souls’ at the Alchemist Gallery in Dingwall until the 25^th of February 2025. There is also a ‘Meet the Artist’ event on the 13th of October. You can also view and purchase works directly at https://www.alchemistgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/37-fiona-mackenzie-feathered-souls/works/ or by connecting with the artist directly on her website https://www.fionamackenzieart.co.uk/ or on the social media.