July 2026

Name: Michele Mathieson / Red Leaf Studio

How did your creative journey start?

I studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the early 1990’s and left with a BA (Hons) degree in Tapestry. Being part of the Fine Art department meant there was a strong emphasis on learning good drawing skills, as well as being given the scope to experiment with a wide variety of mediums. Over time, I discovered that these varied skills were useful in teaching art and running therapeutic sessions, and in 2011 I established Red Leaf Studio, a dedicated teaching studio in Bo’ness.

Can you explain your creative process? How has it changed over time?

My inspiration comes from nature and the landscape, so for me it is vital to spend time outdoors looking and taking interest in what is around me. I love to observe how changing light and weather affect the landscape and try to capture this in my paintings. I use a sketchbook for capturing ideas and views, and also take a lot of photos for reference. These are then taken back to my studio and developed into paintings. Although I teach a wide variety of mediums, my personal favourite for my own work is soft pastel. I love the richness of the colours and the ability to blend the colours. 

Who influences you? Which other creatives’ work do you love?

This is a tricky question, as I’m often influenced by a particular painting that I see rather than all the work of an artist. I like to return to looking at some impressionist paintings to see how they capture light, but I also appreciate contemporary landscape artists like Kurt Jackson and Tracy Levine. 

What advice would you give creatives who are just starting out?

My main advice would be to practice and experiment as much as you can. Start drawing things that interest you and don’t worry about making everything perfect. It’s also really important to look carefully at your subject as you draw. My view is that learning to look is a big part of making good art!

What can visitors expect when visiting your space during Falkirk Open Studios?

This year, I have opted to put on an exhibition of my students work for Falkirk Open studios. I have set a theme of ‘birds’, and my students have been given free choice of what medium they would like to use. So you can expect to see a wide variety of styles and birds in a show of around 50 paintings. It will also give you the opportunity to see and hear more about what we do at my classes throughout the year.