Mark Raynes Roberts

New Artist in Residence

CUAN - Haven and Ocean.

“We have always been connected to the sea and the land for our survival and comfort. These works of art reflect the tension between finding home amidst the wildness of the ocean.”

Throughout his 40 year career as a professional artist and across a range of
media, Mark Raynes Roberts has always been inspired by the beauty of light and the
voyage of discovery.

The Scottish Gaelic word CUAN, meaning “Haven and Ocean”, resonated with the artist
having recently moved to Nova Scotia, metaphorically expressing both the challenges we all face in life with our equal desire to seek safe harbour from the storm. He has challenged himself to break new ground, creating a body of work which evolves his style and oeuvre.

His fascination with how light shapes and frames our perception of the world can be seen in this dramatic new C U A N Collection of abstract seascapes of the mind, using the light, textures and fauna to heighten the emotion of the Atlantic environment.

Mark's strong palette of colours evoke a sense of freedom and fluidity in his abstractions, created from the subconscious rather than the use of specific photographic images, an authentic response to capturing the changing movements and patterns found in nature. These layered paintings connect us not only to the land and sea but also to the soul.