The coast, sea and islands have inspired much of Ramsay Gibb's work and since 2003, the core of his work has focused mainly on subjects in Britain and in particular the landscapes of the North and Scotland. Fuelled by a growing fascination for wild places, he has travelled and painted Shetland, the Hebrides, Ireland, Finland, Norway, The Lofoten Islands, The Faroes, Greenland and Russia. 

His increasing interest in the historical dimension of the landscape of the British Isles led to researching and walking sacred ways and pilgrim routes. The result was his 2011 exhibition A first avowed intent: On pilgrim roads from Iona to St. David’s. Then for two years he worked within the broad area of early Northumbria, developing this theme further in following the old routes taken by pilgrims and holy men in this region’s golden age. The resulting paintings The Pilgrim Coast 2013 were shown in Northumberland in two separate locations as part of the regional celebration of the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Durham.

Capturing the evening light is one of an ongoing exploration of the sea. Each painting takes a different location and time of day. This painting of the Atlantic resulted from time spent on Ireland’s west coast.

Ramsay Gibb was born in Irvine, Ayrshire. His early years were spent on the coast near Troon. Later his family moved to Lancashire, where he studied first at Bolton and then at the University of Brighton. He has lived on the Sussex coast, the Suffolk coast and now lives in the Forest of Bowland.