Old Bridge, Saint Cyrus by James Morrison (1932-2020) presents a view of a singular wood plank bridge, with the plank placed upon smaller wood planks and with a rope and netting railing along one side. The base of the land that is visible on either side contains Morrison's characteristic wide sweeping brush strokes of muted green. Morrison then builds up detail in the bridge with precise lines of black pigment, softly tracing the netting pattern and the cracks along the wood plank. The impression of tall grass around the wood is developed through Morrison using a wetter brush technique and pushing the green pigment in differing directions, and then in the final stages cutting through the paint with a sharp object to remove pigment and create lines of grass. 

Morrison's work often contains a blurring effect, present here with the background being large sweeps of paint, but where this work differs the most is in the precise, realistic detail that Morrison captured with the bridge. It reflects his focus on the subject of the work, and wanting to draw the viewer in to reflect on its presence. The wetter appearance he applies is also characteristic of much of his work, using oil paints on different canvas types yet in similar ways in order to capture his landscapes. 

James Morrison RSA RSW, 1932-2020

Born in Glasgow, Morrison studied at Glasgow School of Art under David Donaldson from 1950 to 1954. He taught part-time there until 1958, when he moved to Catterline, near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire. He was visiting artist at Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Angus, in 1962-63. In 1965 he became a teacher at Duncan Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee. He visited Greece on an Arts Council travelling scholarship in 1968 and has travelled widely in France. In 1987 he resigned as Head of Department to concentrate on his painting. 

Morrison is best known for his panoramic landscapes, particularly of Angus and Canada, many spectacular cloud formations. He is also noted for his paintings of Glasgow's Victorian tenements and terraces, which he started as a student and continued until about 1980.