Chris Bushe was born in the small Scottish town of Aberfeldy, Perthshire in 1958. He studied at Grays School of Art from 1980 to 1984 gaining a BA (Hons) in Fine Art.
Many artists have inspired Chris Bushe – most notably his parents who were both artists. Growing up in a house surrounded by art meant becoming an artist seemed a natural thing to do for Bushe. So Chris became a full-time professional painter in 1997. Since then his paintings have been in great demand are now highly collectible.
Chris Bushe’s earlier art works were inspired by Mediterranean landscapes. However, regular trips to the Scottish islands with his family produced the emergence of new paintings capturing the majesty of west coast of Scotland. Like many before him Chris became inspired by the light, atmosphere and the feeling of remoteness associated with the Scottish landscape. The landscape that interests Chris most is pristine and primeval where weather and nature dominate. This is why the Scottish islands appeal so much as they display a feeling of being far removed from urban life, on the edge of civilisation. In this part of Scotland at most times of the day Chris Bushe will find a painting but late afternoon and early evening light is when he can really capture the west coast at its best.
In his art studio Chris Bushe works predominantly in oil from a mixture of sketches, watercolours and photographs. The paint is applied in a variety of ways; hands, sticks, card, palette knives and a range of brushes. The oil has a beauty in its texture and quality of surface; it is washed on, overlaid and scraped back. The push and pull of the material is fundamental to the working method and the use of oil paint is as important for its malleable qualities as for its ability to hold saturated pigment.
