Fresh Fall, Evening by Mardi Barrie (1930–2004) depicts a hazy, semi-abstract cityscape glimpsed from across a wintry river. The cool, subdued palette—dominated by various hues of greys and soft whites - is punctuated by a faint wash of greenish-yellow that draws the eye to a domed structure in the distance. Broad, horizontal brushstrokes blur the city’s contours, softening its architectural details and skyline. In the foreground, darker tones suggest shadowy trees or indistinct building forms.

Mardi Barrie, 1930-2004

Born in Kirkcaldy and trained at Edinburgh College of Art, Barrie became a teacher at Broughton High School in Edinburgh. She painted mainly landscapes and interiors in oils, with an emphasis on loose, expressive brushstrokes and harmonious colour, leaning towards abstraction but rarely becoming fully abstract. Following two solo exhibitions with the Douglas and Foulis Gallery in Edinburgh in the 1960s, she went on to exhibit regularly with the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh and the Bruton Gallery in Somerset. In the 1980s, she had three solo exhibitions at the Thackeray Gallery in London.