John Lowrie Morrison (Jolomo) OBE, (b.1948), Scottish

“This delightful, original 2010 oil painting by Jolomo shows the harbour houses of Crail in the East Neuk of Fife, painted under a bright moonlit sky.

What I particularly like about it is that it depicts the east coast of Scotland. Jolomo is best known for his colourful paintings of the west coast and the islands, so scenes from the East Neuk villages appear less often in his work. Crail, with its red pantiled roofs and tightly packed harbour houses, makes a wonderful subject and gives the painting a slightly different character from his more familiar western landscapes.“

John Lowrie Morrison OBE (born 1948), widely known by the artistic name “Jolomo,” is one of Scotland’s most recognisable contemporary painters. Born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Morrison studied art at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in the early 1970s.

Before becoming a full-time artist, Morrison worked as an art teacher in Argyll, while continuing to develop his painting practice. His work is strongly associated with the landscapes and communities of Scotland’s west coast and Hebrides, particularly the islands of Lewis, Harris, Iona and Mull.

Morrison’s paintings are known for their bold colour, simplified forms and expressive brushwork, capturing crofts, cottages, harbours and coastal scenery with a distinctive palette and sense of atmosphere. The artist adopted the professional name “Jolomo,” formed from the first letters of his name — JOhn LOwrie MORrison.

Over the course of his career, Jolomo has exhibited widely across Scotland and the UK and has become one of the country’s most commercially successful landscape painters. In recognition of his contribution to art and charity work, he was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2007.

Today, Jolomo’s work remains highly sought after by collectors for its vibrant interpretation of Scotland’s landscapes and its instantly recognisable painterly style.