Greg Coultas and Struan Robb

Project Ability presents this two-person exhibition, featuring work by Greg Coultas and Struan Robb, both young painters from our Create studios. Each with their own very unique aesthetic, we selected these two artists for an exhibition as we felt they have both shown a steadfast dedication to their painting practice. With the assistance of the Project Ability tutors, and their own hard work, we’ve been excited as we watched them develop into two very talented and unique artists. We are proud to be exhibiting their work in the Project Ability gallery, to shine a spotlight on their studio achievements over the last few years, and share their wonderful artworks with our visitors!

Greg Coultas

“I’ve been going to Project Ability classes for nearly 18 years and I really enjoy going every Saturday! I really like working in Trongate 103 as it’s big and bright and airy. I love to paint and I’ve also done some print work and some clay work. When I paint I like to use oil bar paints and especially like bright colours and working on large canvases. I mostly like to paint my favourite tennis players like Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray and paintings of where I’ve been on holiday and buildings I’ve visited. I’ve worked with many tutors at Project Ability and especially enjoy working with Valerie because she understands what I like and how I paint and she encourages and supports me. I put lots of energy into my paintings, which I think are very vibrant.”

Greg Coultas makes abstract paintings filled with movement. Greg’s style of bold painterly brush marks gives a fresh and dynamic quality to his work. Combined with the use of oil bars, this creates gestural mark making that is both strong and vivid, giving his work a powerful presence.

Struan Robb

“I have been coming to Project Ability since I was 10 years old. I love coming here. When i am painting I can focus and feel calm. I am in control when I am painting and drawing it makes sense to me when everything around me is confusing. The tutors and volunteers are always very encouraging and helpful, they have really helped me find a way of expressing myself through my paintings; particularly Valerie, who has really helped me find a very unique and creative way of using the paint to give a very textured and 3-d style. When I look at images and people, the colours, shapes even sounds jump out at me. I don’t see things as flat or still, they move and flow around me, and this is why my paint is thick in some parts and thin in others, this is how I view the world.”

Struan Robb’s use of ultra thick paint seems to defy gravity! Using a variety of different subject matter, what ties Robb’s work together is the texture and mark making. He chooses his subjects carefully, considering what elements will work well with the thick paint. The application needs to be carefully executed, and Robb has perfected this technique over the last few years.

Follow this link to view the artworks in the exhibition

Both Coultas and Robb have been working at Project Ability for over 10 years. Which means we have had the privilege of watching their practices develop year after year. Both artists have found their own aesthetic style, and we are excited to see how they will continue to grow and evolve in the Project Ability studios.