ArtistsNetwork.com 67McIntosh looked for location inspiration online as a good
way to start a project. “I started actively trying to find easy
locations, like a bank or a village hospital,” he says. An aban-
doned building near Edinburgh provided a great location.
Atmosphere as Subject
After the birth of his son, McIntosh’s search continued—
and, indeed, it never stops. He’s currently painting a
factory in Portugal and an old publishing house, called
Pleckbond, close to where he lives. “I noticed that its lights
go on late and seem to be on throughout the night,” he
says. “The wire frosted glass is intriguing as you can only
make out vague shapes illuminated by blues and yellows.”
The atmosphere provided by these settings becomes a
subject in the artist’s paintings, whether the work is large
or small. It’s a choice that McIntosh feels reflects his
personality. “I think the atmosphere I create in my
McINTOSH’S TOP 3 TIPS
- Observe first, then mix and paint.
- No excuses. Keep painting—even if you don’t feel
like it. - Painting is hard. Remember that you can make a
good painting by destroying as well as producing.
paintings is who I am as a person, really,” he says. “I guess
it’s all biographical—metaphorically, to an extent, and
maybe autobiographically.”Independent Education
McIntosh doesn’t do a lot of preparatory work, preferring
to jump right in. He claims never to have been much of