Emirates through the Eyes of an Artist

8/6/2019 Emirates through the Eyes of an Artist

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Published by Motivate Publishing

Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE

Tel: (+971 4) 282 4060, fax: (+971 4) 282 0428

e-mail: [email protected] www.booksarabia.com

Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAETel: (+971 4) 390 3550, fax: (+971 4) 390 4845

Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Tel: (+971 2) 677 2005, fax: (+971 2) 677 0124

London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER

e-mail: [email protected]

Directors: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer and

Ian Fairservice

Senior Editor: David Steele

Assistant Editor: Zelda Pinto

Art Director: Andrea Willmore

General Manager Books: Jonathan Griffiths

Book Publishing Manager: Jeremy Brinton

Original concept: Mike Shepley

© Trevor Waugh, Mike Shepley and Motivate Publishing 2006

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including

photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the

copyright holder. Applications for the copyright holder’s written permission to reproduce any part of

this publication should be addressed to the publishers. In accordance with the International

Copyright Act 1956 and the UAE Federal Copyright Law No 40 of 1992, any person acting in

contravention of this copyright will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

ISBN: 1 86063 206 8

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Printed and bound in the UAE by Rashid Printers & Stationers LLC, Ajman, UAE

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Mike Shepley for his tireless efforts in makingthis project possible. He has been instrumental in its developmentand a constant source of inspiration and energy. But mostly I thankhim for his friendship over the years. Everyone should have a friendlike Mike. Also Cheryl Shepley, for keeping us both well fed andon track.

I am indebted to all my friends at the Majlis Gallery, Dubai, formaking me feel so at home. A very special ‘thank you’ also goes to

Alison Collins, whose idea it was to bring me out to the Emirates topaint in the first place. My gratitude also extends to Mohammed AlMurr for his constant support and for showing me the way; to theNew Orientalist painters, of which I am proud to be a member; and toMotivate Publishing for taking the risk, especially David Steele for hisproduction insights and photography and Andrea Willmore for all herhard work. I would especially like to thank HSBC for their continuedsupport of the arts. To be greeted with such an enthusiastic responseto the The Emirates Through the Eyes of an Artist is a greatpleasure for me as the artist.

To all those who know me and my work in the Emirates, for all thelove and laughter and happy times we have shared together, thisbook is for you. . . .

Lastly, Darlas for your boundless love, you are truly ‘special’.



My first visit to the UAE came about through a chance meeting inCornwall in 1994 with Majlis Gallery partner Alison Collins. Sixmonths later I arrived in the darkness at Dubai airport and wasswiftly transported by taxi to the gallery, where I was to be Artistin Residence for the month. I stumbled into bed at about 4.30 amonly to be awakened by the early arrival of a guest, a very specialguest. As I opened my eyes I saw him silhouetted in the frameof the doorway, the glow of early morning light outlining hisArabic robes.

“Hello, my name is Mohammed.” he said.

I could not have known that this greeting would open a newchapter in my life. My early morning guest was UAE author andpatron of the arts, Mohammed Al Murr. He alone gave me my firstintroduction to the Emirates, taking me to the places he hadknown as a boy and sharing with me a wealth of information,that only someone who has a deep love for his country and the

beauty of it’s landscape can. He asked me the question “Why areyou here?” and I have been trying to answer that in my journalsever since.

My journals are a visual journey, they can be fact or fiction, orboth. Emotional and objective. I try to make a synthesis of this andask questions of the subject and myself. Sometimes I scribble andhave fun, at other times I try in earnest. They are the innerworkings. I often paint from memory, which can be as fleeting asthe moment. Looking for some connection between myself and

the subject.

At best they are a visual diary of the events in my life, and thoseevents have never been more profound than when I’ve painted inthe Emirates. There is something about the landscape and the lighthere, it speaks to me – ageless and inspirational. The wind-swept,

molten colours of the Rub al-Khali are like the sun’s eye. Thebroken silhouettes of the distant Hajar mountains, sometimes pink

and purple against a breathtaking surface of sand. The cool, deepfeeling I get whenever I enter a rain-filled wadi. Then the lightchanges and so does the landscape; with that a whole new seriesof questions unfold before me. Wait a minute . . . there is more tothis than meets the eye! Nothing is finished, there is nodestination . . . there is only the journey! I hope you will enjoy this journey, or at least part of it, with me.

When the forward rush of humankind is halted by a mountain or

an ocean, it’s an impressive sight to witness. After all, a mountaindoes not feed off its emotions, nor does an ocean wallow in itsown depths.

Introduction





Trevor Waugh’s journals are a visual journey, arecord of his travels. The photos on this spreadrecord a day spent travelling with Trevor in the

emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Initially coping with swirling winds and sand stormsthat would have proved challenging for any painter,the day softened further inland. The morning wasspent studying falcons, gazelle and oryx, while theafternoon was devoted to exploring the splendidoases and forts of Al Ain – including Jahili Fort(birthplace of the late President, Sheikh Zayed).

Trevor is seen here painting at Jahili while beingfilmed by Mike Shepley and carefully watched bythe fort’s caretaker – who later became the subjectfor another painting.

A day in the Life of a Journal . . .













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Emirates through the Eyes of an Artist