.

Eagle of Saint John
130mm. x 80mm.
5in. x 3.2in.
Ink and gouache on parchment and ingres.
Copyright James M. Summers 2001

Adapted from the evangelical symbol of Saint John folio 27V.
of the Book of Kells and designed to suit a greeting card 
format.

In respective applications I have utilised many different 
colour schemes and employed varied styles of fine 
decoration within the Eagle of Saint John. However the use 
of Argyll design in one of the applications has created a 
curious and unforeseen visual phenomenon, which may yet 
prove to be an Argyll design too far!

Founded on an off handed, witty remark from Douglas my 
webmaster, which took root like a seed in my fertile 
imagination, I now can’t shake off the impression that the 
Argylled Eagle of Saint John appears to be wearing a 
lambswool Argyll golfing sweater! To my mind now, he will 
always have the look of an evangelical eagle on his way to, 
or returning from eighteen holes of golf.

This particular incarnation of the Eagle of Saint John should 
of course (or perhaps Old Course would be more appropriate) 
be christened the Eagle of Saint Andrews, and should clutch 
a nine iron in his talons rather than the customary fish.

.

.....

.

.

Nollaig Mhath 89.
150mm. x 210mm.
5.8in x 8.25in.
Ink and watercolour on card.
Copyright James M. Summers 1989.

Nollaig Mhath (Gaelic); Happy Christmas, this design for a Christmas card was heavily influenced by the highly varied use of Celtic birds as a decoration in the Lindisfarne Gospels.

.

.

Nollaig Mhath (Gaelic); Happy Christmas,in this design the initial letter N is used to represent the archway leading into the new year, the knotwork decoration comes from the Pictish school of Celtic knotwork.

.

.

Nollaig Mhath (Gaelic); Happy Christmas, the overall design in this case is based on the knotwork found on the Cross-slab Stone of Ulbster in Caithness, the blank panels being filled with various celtic images, including a first appearance of little Celtic men. This is the only time I have attempted to use key patterns as a form of decoration.

.

.

Nollaig Mhath (Gaelic); Happy Christmas. In this case two trees of life flank a central panel which uses the text letters like tracery within a stained glass window. In this work, my affinity with little Celtic men (and their now trademark gravity defying hairstyles ) as an art form is now firmly established.

.

.

Taurus, the Burghead Bull,a design for a birthday card using a Pictish design found on stones and stone fragments around Burghead in Invernessshire.

.

Picti
James MacKenzie-Summers
Telephone: 44 (0) 1779 472367   E-mail: info@picti.co.uk

Buy celtic art prints online