beautiful Omani art | Andy in Oman

Under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Tarik Al Said, Bait Muzna Gallery cordially invites you to: “Bait Muzna Gallery invites two British actors to capture the unique mystical beauty of the Sultanate of Oman through the lens of photographer Malcolm MacGregor and the watercolours of Alan Reed. The Sultanate of Oman’s unique beauty with its diverse landscapes has inspired people to put pen and watercolor to paper, oil to canvas or cameras in ones hands. It seems everywhere you turn, there are vibrant colors and smiling faces of those out enjoying the quiet atmosphere of this serene country. The wild and mystical places of Oman offer a unique sense of timelessness and solitude, a rare thing in the world today, which both Malcolm McGregor and Alan Reed have recognised during their first visits to Oman. Malcolm Mac Gregor explores the wonders of the Sultanate and captures photographs of undeniably unique landscapes and coerce them into revealing depth, thoughtfulness, beauty and poetry, whereas Alan Reed reflects and expresses the same through his watercolors.” “Alan Reed was born in Northumberland, into a family with a history of painting. He fell in love with watercolour, arguably the most difficult of all mediums to master, at the age of 15. Since then, he has studied the work of the great exponents of watercolour and has developed a style that is very distinctive. To own an “Alan Reed” original watercolour is to have a piece of artwork that truly is unique. No two originals can ever be identical as it is impossible to create the freshness and spontaneity of each individual wash. Some brush marks are carefully thought out, others almost instinctive, the result of 25 years experience. Since his first exhibition in 1981, Alan has built up a loyal following of faithful admirers of his paintings, which have become increasingly collectable. A recent accolade has been the inclusion of is paintings in the new book, “Landscapes in Watercolour” by Theodora Philcox, an inspirational book which features the work of 23 leading watercolourists from around the world. Alan Reed has been exhibiting and taking commissions for more than three decades. His work has become increasingly collectable and is widely represented internationally through private collectors and corporate commissions.” Alan Reed’s “Sunset Walk, Oman” (Giclee Print) RO 49 (15X10 watercolour is RO 195) Alan Reed’s “Sunset from Wadi Darbat” (Watercolour) 40X30 RO 950 Alan Reed’s “Muttrah Corniche” (Watercolour) 35X25 RO 540 Alan Reed’s “Evening Fishing Qurm'” (Watercolour) 30X20 RO 480 Alan Reed’s “Qalhat, Qurm” (Watercolour) 20X20cm, early 2010 Alan Reed’s “Grand Mosque, Last Light” (Watercolour) 53X35cm early 2010 1500 RO Alan Reed’s “Saluki Sunrise” (Watercolour) 30X23cm early 2010 480 RO Alan Reed’s “Dhows, Afternoon Delight” (Watercolour) 30X23cm early 2010 (70X50 cms costs RO2750) Alan Reed’s “Bilat Sayt” (Watercolour) 29.5cmX21cm painted in 2009 “Malcolm MacGregor is a landscape photographer, based in Scotland, who specialises in photographing the more remote regions of the world. He has travelled to many countries on assignment including Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Georgia, the Balkans, Brittany, Iceland and the Hebridean Islands of Scotland. But it is to Oman that he returns time and time again. In fact, his photographic life has very much been tied up with Oman over the past ten years. In 2000, he began photographing for his book “Wilderness Oman” made over a two year period tapping into the eclectic mix of desert, mountain and coastal landscapes from the isolated Musandam Peninsula in the north to the Empty Quarter in the south. His genre is wilderness landscape photography, searching out aspects of nature that are unusual and off the beaten track. Since then, he has returned almost on a yearly basis, in pursuit of Omani light. He has witnessed many golden moments where mountains and coastline are transformed by the rising sun for a few brief moments, before the light becomes too harsh. It is this transformative period at dawn and dusk that he tries to capture on camera. He has produced a portfolio “Light Over Oman” and most recently a photographic study comprising some 60 photographs called “Oman: Eloquence and Eternity”. His work has been reviewed in many photographic magazines, such as Amateur Photographer and Outdoor Photography, Oman Today and the Oman Daily Observer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, an Associate of the British Institute for Professional Photography and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. The landscape photographs in this exhibition have been made over the past ten years, many of which have not been seen until now.” The beautiful Bait Muzna Gallery. Exhibtions are usually displayed on the top floor while prints and all kinds of artwork from local and international artists are displayed on the ground floor. Malcolm MacGregor’s “Juniper Tree on Al Jabal Al Akhdar” (Oman, 2007, Limited to 9 Editions) Malcolm MacGregor’s “Aeolianite Rock, Ramlat Al Wahaybah” (Oman, 2004, Limited to 9 Editions) 48X60cm RO 230 Malcolm MacGregor’s “The Coast Near Hadbin, Dhofar” (Oman 2002, Limited to 9 Editions) Malcolm MacGregor’s “Turquoise Sea Near Yitti” (Photograph Edition 2/9 48X60cm RO 230)