This print was created in conjunction with the Glasgow Print Studio 50th Anniversary Here & Now Legacy Project. "Leviathan VII is the most recent of a series of etchings on copper inspired by humpback whales. Initially inspired by a trip to Newfoundland, Canada in 2006, where I first saw large scale whale etchings by David Blackwood. I’ve since gone on to observe them from whale watching trips. My work has always been closely connected to the sea and marine life. Isolation, mystery and the journey of the whale are all themes running through the work. Baleen whales are known for their extensive journeys and for their singing. The process of etching allows the acid to pitt and erode the metal which is effective in portraying the scarred texture and cracked barnacles encrusted on a whale’s skin."

"I start with sketches, and then work an image directly on to the copper using a soft ground. I build up layers and texture using a variety of techniques including sugar lift. The unpredictability of the outcome is always something that excites me about printmaking and especially etching."

"While process is an important part of the finished works, it’s the desire to portray the splendour of the whale which is primary."

Marion MacPhee was born on the Isle of Skye in 1979. She went on to study at Edinburgh College of Art between 1997 and 2001, graduating with a BA Hons degree in Visual Communication. Although MacPhee studied illustration, much of her interest lay in printmaking and she used the print facilities at ECA to complete her degree show.

After graduating, she went on to set up a studio on Skye and occasionally used the print facilities at the Highland Print Studio. A move to Glasgow signalled the start of a working relationship with the Glasgow Print Studio which has been a great launchpad for her career. Alongside using the workshop facilities, MacPhee also works part time in the gallery as a Sales Assistant. She has worked both in the studio and gallery since 2010. She feels it has been an excellent base and place to meet like minded artists and share knowledge and work alongside some fantastic artists.

MacPhee’s singular studies of whales and coastal landscapes are the product of expressive draughtsmanship and technical ability. Working across etching and monotype, she creates stark images that draw the viewer into personal contemplation of their relationship to the natural world. MacPhee has exhibited widely across the UK and at national and international art fairs. In 2019 she was invited by Barbara Rae RA to exhibit at the Royal Academy Summer Show.