Born in Inverkip, Inverclyde, Louis studied art at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, graduating with a BA (Hons) in 1990. It wasn’t long before his talent was recognized by highly respected galleries in London and Edinburgh and in the following decade his work was widely exhibited throughout the UK and acquired by significant private and corporate collections both here and abroad.
Known for his distinctive detailed style depicting landscapes and cityscapes, mostly inspired by Scotland’s scenery, Louis McNally’s work is enjoyed by enthusiastic collectors far beyond the borders of his native country.
Louis now lives on the picturesque East Lothian coast where he finds constant inspiration from the environment and local wildlife and he has built a strong presence exhibiting regularly in UK galleries and at art fairs.
Working in oil, his paintings are beautifully crafted, dramatic and atmospheric and it is his strong response to the play of light which interests Louis most as he observes the world around him. Interestingly, his work doesn’t include human figures as he sees these as a distraction from the power of the landscapes he paints. He loves to develop the sense of atmosphere and mystery, often through the interplay of strong contrasts: bright highlights and intensely dark shadows are typical of his stunning paintings.
Gallerist comment: “I was blown away when I first saw Louis’ beautiful work. The dramatic lighting and strong sense of atmosphere and mystery have a wonderful haunting quality. This is intensified by the fact that the scenes are devoid of human figures which could distract the viewer from the power of the actual landscape or cityscape.”