Scottish Highland Castle

When originally commissioned the piece was to be an abstract representation of the clients Scottish castle. The river running through the castle’s grounds would run through the piece depicted as a loose ink stroke. Developing the piece began with an exploration of the castle grounds and its surroundings. Being by the river brought it to life and revealed its unique colours flavoured as it is by the Highland peat that flavours the areas whiskies. Stones and rocks were collected from its bed. Based Upon’s signature blue dots capture fast casts of what is there at that moment in time: bark peeling from a silver birch or the way moss sits upon a rock. Leaves, branches and bark were collected from the estate’s woodlands and moulded to make textural marks within the piece. Each leaf is cast in metal as a study and then overlaid with other leaves and textural marks to create the light and shadow, rough and smooth within the work. Though not intended at the beginning of the piece the river came to symbolise the client’s father such was his presence at the castle. He had passed some six years before our visit, the sense of him was strong in the hearts and stories of all of those that had worked for him. At the client’s fathers bedside we were shown a simple cross that had been dear to him. We recast it using the stones from the base of the river and inset into the river in resin.