A selection of Lamb’s watercolours are displayed on the walls in the Lamb Studio and the designs may be rotated. But at the current moment the selection (see below) consists of larger, framed, views of Montrose and area. A substantial number of others of various sizes, both framed and unframed, are held in the Council’s collections. During 1977 Renee Simm, a friend of Lamb, passed her collection of Lamb watercolours (to be framed at the Studio’s expense) to the collections.
Lamb undoubtedly was introduced to water colour painting during his art lessons at Montrose academy continuation classes prior to WW1, but he continued to produce works of this type throughout his lifetime. As they were all unique and sold widely – and are rarely signed – a full catalogue has never been attempted. There are records of Lamb producing “colours” for sale during his trip to France in 1922-3 and French designs were undoubtedly painted after these years. But many of his others date to the 1930s when it is said Lamb mass produced landscapes to generate a stable income to support his casting of his more favoured bronzes.
It is said that Lamb was drawn to the watercolours by the extraordinary colours of the local landscapes, the “big skies” in passing weather and his fascination with depicting ordinary working people – especially the fisher folk - at work. The “quality” of this work has not passed unchallenged even during his lifetime – but on close examination the way that Lamb uses diverse colours to create the colour of the whole is extraordinary. It is this exploration of colour that Lamb recognised himself as unusual and not to everybody’s taste.
- M2004.28: Untitled: (North Esk from Kinnaber)
- M.2004.46: The Birch
- M2004.30: Untitled: Ferryden Fishing Scene
- M2004.31: Untitled: Mussel Gatherers, Ferryden
- M2004.32: Untitled: Scurdiness
- M2004.26: Untitled: River South Esk Estuary
- M2004.45: Upper Warburton by St Cyrus
- M2004.29: Untitled: Estuary of North Esk (1924)
- M2004.40: Untitled: Farm & Trees by Water
- M2004.24: Untitled: Estuary of the North Esk
- M2004.47: Untitled: The Pier, Old Montrose
- M2004.43: Lunan Bay
- M2004.48: Untitled: Woodland Scene by Water’s edge
- M2004.27: Untitled: River South Esk Estuary
- M2004.17: Untitled: Return from the Sea
- M2004.18: Untitled: Ferryden Fisher Scene
- M2004.22: Untitled: Montrose from Ferryden
- M2004.23: Untitled: River North Esk Estuary
- M2004.11: Untitled: River Estuary
- M2004.21: Untitled: Summer Day in Ferryden.