North Sea Deck Crew

Eddy from Stornoway, Sandy from Aberdeen and John from Macduff.

All are deck crew, who like many Aberdonians, took on the role of working far from home in the North Sea.

This is Sandy's career in his own words:

'I was born in Aberdeen and left school at 15 years old when I went working on Aberdeen trawlers. Then the oil Companies were employing people on their ships and I joined my first offshore boat in 1975. I went back to fishing for 5 years but have been employed as a a/b on offshore ships steady since 1982. I used to cycle for 20 years on my last ship and if I can I like to go for a cycle, I also I like to go walking as and when I can manage'.

The painting has obvious religious overtones of Three Wise Men gazing out towards a guiding star. There is a look of steadfastness and ruggedness in the men's faces, displaying years of experience combined with hope and still an ever present sense of adventure.

I tackled the work by first painting in brown earth tones and then later adding the colours in glazes. Their faces and coveralls were built up in this way until I was finally sure I had the picture I wanted.