Linlithgow artist shortlisted for prize

Elaine Woo MacGregor in her studio, and her portrait 'Portrait of Nan Shepherd, Camping by the Wells of Dee'.

The winner will walk away with £6,000 when the Prize is announced on Wednesday, April 13.

Elaine has been shortlisted for her piece ‘Portrait Of Nan Shepherd Camping By The Wells Of Dee’.

She said: “The painting was inspired by passages in the book 'The Living Mountain' and the life of Nan Shepherd. I was interested in finding out about individual writers’ demeanour and habits, as well as sense of place, and how this shaped their identity and the themes in their work.

"With the break due to the pandemic, I reflected on what it means to be a creative during these times, our relationships with natural and urban environments and our sense of ‘self’.”

She added: "My paintings are not direct portraits of writers per-se; they are my interpretations of narratives and the essence of their character.

"The ideologies of these Writers are intriguingly relevant to our present-day challenges.’