Susan Mcmillan Susan Mcmillan

2. This is where my new blog posts will appear

My work is rooted in the wild west coast of Scotland — the shifting light, the sea spray, the birds, the silence before a storm — and there’s a whole world behind each piece that never makes it onto the product page.

Welcome to my studio journal — I’m glad you’re here.

I’ve been thinking for a while about creating a place where I can share more than just finished paintings. My work is rooted in the wild west coast of Scotland — the shifting light, the sea spray, the birds, the silence before a storm — and there’s a whole world behind each piece that never makes it onto the product page.

So this blog will be a mix of things:

  • little stories from the places that inspire my art

  • work-in-progress glimpses (including the messy bits!)

  • new collections I’m developing

  • the occasional ramble about creativity, balance, and the everyday chaos of life

  • and updates on where you can see my work in person

If you enjoy Scottish landscapes, seascapes and wildlife, and you like seeing the human side behind the paintings, I hope you’ll feel at home here.

Thanks for stopping by — let’s see where this goes.

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Susan Mcmillan Susan Mcmillan

1.The Light That Started It All

It all begins with an idea.

dramatic sunset with bright middle and view looking from the road and sides of Eaglesham moor to the mountains of Arran . There is a car in the image.

Sunset from Eaglesham moor viewing over towards Arran with a road leading in to the painting and car parked off the road.

This was a long time ago but I remember one day driving over the String road in Arran towards Brodick with my grandmother and seeing the way the light danced on the water. That has stayed with me since then and is still a source of inspiration now. Of curse I see it everywhere and in many different seasons, weather and colours but that first summers day was the first time the fleeting dancing light captured my imagination.

It took a while to get around to capturing this feeling on canvas and in watercolour but now I feel that is what I am doing in many of my paintings. The clarity of light in this part of the world in the West Coast of Scotland is beautiful and stops you in your tracks. When I paint, I try to convey that and hope the feeling comes across not just the view.

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