About

Paintings are mixed media, primarily watercolour, on heavyweight watercolour paper. Some are unframed, some are framed or have the option to be so. All paintings are unique and original - no prints or copies are ever made. Sizes vary, so please check the size carefully before you buy. You will not be charged for UK postage. If you are an overseas buyer please contact me before going through the buying process.

If you have any questions at all, or if you would like to arrange a video call to view any of the paintings in more detail, please contact me.

I am happy to take commissions incorporating a favourite quote, or for specific colours or sizes. Please get in touch to discuss.

An aphorism is a concise expression of a general truth or principle; a statement or saying that is both efficiently presented and either witty or wise. Aphorisms do not tell you what you SHOULD do or OUGHT to do, rather because they tend to be thought-provoking, they give you a different perspective on the universe.

A good aphorism will stand the test of time and remain true and elegant. 'An aphorism is . . .a little work of art and complete in itself like a hedgehog' said Friedrich Schlegel

I have collected aphorisms for as long as I can remember. I am fascinated by their ability to capture the essence of what can often be quite profound concepts in so few words. An aphorism can hook itself into your mind in a way that a much longer sentence does not.

I had been considering incorporating aphorisms into my paintings for a long time before I actually tested it out. The big challenge has been to make sure the words add to rather than detract from the visual quality of the painting itself. I wanted the letters to seem like part of the pattern or tone of the painting from a distance, and only reveal the sense as you come closer, adding an extra layer to the artwork and encouraging the viewer to explore the deeper meaning of the piece.

These prints are original works of art, created and digitally manipulated on a computer. I never make or sell prints of my original paintings.

Using something which started as a fun and light hearted exploration, I was gradually and rather unexpectedly able to produce new and original creations which I loved and which were different in character to the paintings.

Hello. I am Lesley Carruthers, living and working on the west coast of Scotland.

I have always been passionate about art but when I was young was persuaded to take the pragmatic option of a degree in English Language & Literature at Glasgow University. I then pursued a career in business and academia, whilst bringing up my two sons. Art caught up with me again in my late 40s. The abstract aluminium and bronze sculptures I created can be found in homes and gardens across East Anglia with a few in the West of Scotland. I have a piece of public art in Essex and another in Helensburgh. Over the last decade, the painting and sketching I have always done has assumed a more dominant role, as I reinterpret my earlier 3D creations in two dimensions.

Recently I have started to add aphorisms, thought-provoking words, to my paintings. It feels as if I have come full circle and that all the varying strands of my life are coming together in the abstract mixed media paintings with quotes that I am currently producing.. The pleasure I find in this creative activity is intense. “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards” as Kierkegaard said.