'These are the facts; these are the feelings' is a catalogue essay for the exhibition 'Natural States: three contemporary painters: Clare Woods, Ingo Meller, Daniel Sturgis' at Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. The exhibition ran 18 June-20 August 2016.

The essay considers the three artists' works, the curatorial framework and how the artists' individual works respond to the site specific nature of the Pier Arts Centre, and its collection. It also, upon reflection of the exhibition title, responds to what the 'natural state' of a contemporary exhibition is. The essay considers each artist's process, following interviews undertaken with each of the painters on site in Orkney during the exhibition installation. The text reflects on the three painters' choice of works from the historic collection that their own works are sited next to, which include works by Barbara Hepworth, Margaret Mellis and Ian Hamilton Finlay.