There are buildings and then there is architecture. The difference for me is that architecture exudes a presence which takes hold of my senses. It speaks to me.

Growing up in an architecturally rich city, I have become passionate about architecture, new and old. From the patterns, structures and reflections of modern buildings, to the rhythms, irregularities and surface textures of the ancient, I have found constant inspiration in my own city, Glasgow, and various locations in Europe, America and the Far East.

Sometimes, the smallest and most subtle decorative details will be my starting point. Other times, it may be the character of an individual building or it could be the energy or of an entire urban scene. Regardless, I feel that architecture provides me with never-ending possibilities for exploration. I find it quite irresistible.

Rarely content to use only one medium, I have always enjoyed the inventive process of mixing materials. This has led me to produce sometimes surprising or mysterious effects, creating contrasts between the rugged, glossy, chalky or lustrous surfaces.

Depending upon the subject matter, my approach may vary from being strictly 2D, to heavy relief construction. Often many layers of different heights will be used to add depth and perspective. Fields of blurred colour on wet paper are brought into focus with an overlying linear study. Mark making, distressed papers and collage materials may be employed to emphasise areas of interest and colour will almost certainly be expressive and exaggerated.

If working on site is not possible, my own drawings and photographs will be my reference. Regardless of outcome, it is always my intention to communicate something of the energy, the history and the beauty of the architecture which has made an impact upon me. Of equal importance, is the opportunity for discovery that each piece presents and so, I allow the properties of various media, the flow of a line, the strength of a shape, the vibrancy of a colour, to inform the direction and emphasis of the art. My work is therefore a process of rigorous observation which gives way to an intuitive, emotional response. It is a compelling journey of discovery which never fails to completely absorb me. Above all, I love to do what I do.

In 1969, Blythe Scott was born in Glasgow, Scotland. The daughter of two Art teachers, aesthetic matters were given much importance. Therefore, it was very natural for Blythe to attend Art school without much thought as to what direction her career might ultimately take, understanding that the creative journey would be a valuable and even essential experience in itself.

Blythe studied enthusiastically and her eyes became wide open to sources of inspiration that were all around her. It was during her daily journey to Art School through the city centre that she began to notice the beauty of Glasgow’s Victorian architecture. The red and blond sandstone structures provided a wealth of pattern and form on an imposing scale. Spending each day on the sixth floor of the Design School, she spent many hours looking out upon the changing city skyline, marvelling at the decorative forms, details and shapes and the slate covered roof tiles and domes which were often glazed in rain.

During this time, she further fed her appetite for beautiful cities by travelling as often as she could during the holiday periods and this deepened her obsession for architecture. While Glasgow offered a great deal of source material, foreign cities seemed bathed in dazzling colour by comparison.

Graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 1991 from the department of Embroidered & Woven Textiles, Blythe had developed a fascination for surface and colour which are still seen in abundance in her mixed media paintings today. Her education had been in sharp contrast to past students of this department as there was now a new more modern approach to textiles which allowed students the freedom to interpret briefs in a looser way. They were encouraged to think about materials inventively, challenging what could or should be defined as a textile. This was a vital period of exploration for Blythe. Drawing, painting and recording experimental textures with anything she could scratch, distress, burn, varnish or dye, it was her paperwork and sometimes unexpected combinations of media that would provide the basis for her work in the future. Regular life drawing classes also gave her the discipline to observe rigorously.

The following years were varied and full. Blythe drew constantly and exhibited from time to time in her home city. Starting as a Gallery assistant, Blythe went on to be a Decorative Artist at Euro Disney, Paris. Next, she trained to be an English teacher which enabled her to travel and work in Japan where she was excited by the radically different culture and sense of aesthetics. The juxtaposition of the old and the new, the restraint of natural materials, the vibrant blue roof tiles that filled the urban skyline and the surprisingly serene feeling that can be found in even the busiest streets of Tokyo, were all new and interesting to the artist. This period sparked an interest in the East, encouraging her to travel to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Inspired by the tradition of Japanese ink drawing, it was at this time that the artist began to use her characteristic red stamp seen on most of her work.

Tempted to return to Glasgow by an offer of a year’s contract as a tutor at the Glasgow School of Art, Blythe returned home. Being surrounded by busy textile students, she felt encouraged to experiment further with textures and techniques.

When this came to an end, she spent a number of months on the East Coast of America where she was struck by the reflections of the historical buildings in the tall, shiny contemporary constructions of Boston in particular. Much inspiration was also found in the ornamental brick buildings of Georgetown and the bohemian feel of the very colourful, Adams Morgan in Washington DC.

Upon her return to Glasgow in 1996, Blythe achieved a post Graduate Diploma in Education and for the following nine years, she taught at Secondary and further education levels. Reducing Art & Design to its basic principles was an enriching process. She found that far from draining her creativity, teaching developed her interests and abilities as an artist, encouraging her to confront various aspects of Art & Design that had not been the emphasis of her previous experience.

In 1998, Blythe met Russell Scott, a Geologist, whom she married in 2001 in their dream location of Venice. Venice and other European cities are themes often revisited by the artist because of the quality of summer light, and the perfection of the imperfect, weathered stone and sun-bleached colours.

Soon, they had two children, Felix and Floyd and while they were all immersed in family life, their thoughts often turned to further travel and adventure. In 2006, the family relocated to the beautiful Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. Living in Victoria, she found new inspiration in the highly decorative homes on the tree lined avenues which, being constructed of wood; provide endless opportunity for brightly applied colour and pattern.

In 2008, Blythe returned to Scotland where she and her family have chosen to live by the sea in the town of Troon. She continues to draw and paint from her home studio.