Bethany and me

Val from The Chair in Hay contacted me to tell me about an artist she thought I would like to meet and perhaps share an exhibition space with. She said that our work had parallels in terms of inspiration and technique and thought we would make a beautiful show together.

I was blown away when I looked at Bethany’s work. It is stunning.
Delicately strong shapes, beautiful organic marks, sensitive clever use of colour.
All things I try to find in my own work and love in others’.

We’ve shared conversations around art, life, career, music, the importance of a good biscuit.
Strangely, we both grew up in Bedfordshire and went to the same schools (me rather earlier than her!) and now both find inspiration in the hills of Wales.

Both of us come from a place of taking inspiration from nature and working with our chosen materials to create sensitive work that echoes nature and landscape and the human connection.

Our work is process driven. We explore the balance between control and un control that comes from using materials in an organic and fluid way, leaving room for ‘accidents’ to be embraced as an intrinsic part of the work.
In my case it is pouring, splashing, letting ink and oil settle, adding charcoal and leaving to the elements.
In Bethany’s, it’s dressing her exquisite coil built ceramic vessels in natural materials and using a primitive pit firing method to make that connection with earth.

I am so excited to see our work together.

Talking about my work- or not.

TALKING ABOUT MY WORK, OR NOT.

As much I am waffling on on here I do sometimes find it quite hard to talk about my work. I can talk about my process, but my paintings are my form of expression, and sometimes I feel I can never quite do them justice in words. In expressing emotion and energy through art it’s quite important to me that I don’t dictate too much to the viewer and it is their individual response with the art. Titles are chosen to give a glimmer of an idea, leaving the viewer to have their own connection and story inspired by my work.
Perhaps my work can let them experience nature on a level they’ve not noticed before or give them a different outlet for feeling.

Putting your work’ out there’  when you’ve put so much of yourself in it can be quite daunting, but it’s incredible when something that you’ve created speaks to someone, and they have a really strong powerful emotional moment with what is ‘just paint on canvas’.
It’s not to be underestimated that ability to move people with art.

Responses to music

I decided I’d like to explore markmaking to music. I have explored this before but not for some time, and never in such a concentrated way. I always listen to something while I’m painting but thought direct responses would be interesting to look at

I covered my desk in paper and let loose!
I chose a gentle classical piece to loosen up but it was a bit timid…
I have a playlist on my phone called ‘layers’. I love music with lots of build up, how musicians choose which moments they’d like you to focus on with the use of dynamics and structure, different instruments for different moods.
There are lots of parallels with painting. The initial layers go down, the backbone of the story, setting a scene, building depth and interest- the quiet areas as important as the fuller ones.

I played it loud and lost myself in it

I used a monochrome palette, ish. I wanted to make this mostly about the marks.
At times I was dancing… maybe I need curtains for my studio!

I made big sweeping movements, for swelling crescendo, small staccato marks of a snare, long soft lines of a held note and big watercolour sweeps.
At first I was almost painting along the page, consciously choosing a composition like a score is written, then I decided to overlay some of the marks from the beginning of the piece.

This exercise has given me a new language of different marks and gestures and repeated marks to form textures.
They’ve allowed me to loosen up, with no ‘finished piece’ pressure and have really informed subsequent paintings.

FAQ'S - Why do I like it?

I once had a self curated exhibition where a man came in and had a good look around but kept coming back to one piece over and over.
He seemed a bit huffy though (sorry if this is you but it’s still one of my most treasured memories from a self exhibition) so I asked him if he was ok. He said ‘ I really like this one.’
(I said thank you), (he still seemed cross)…
Eventually I discovered that what was annoying him was that because the painting was abstract, he had no frame of reference to judge if it was ‘good’ or not, it wasn’t a ‘thing’ so he couldn’t say if it was a good representation of the object/scene/whatever.
We talked about him, maybe he found the structure calming, or he liked the feeling the piece gave him, or maybe he just liked the colours.
He went on to tell me about a historic battle on The Marches (sorry no dates, history not my strong point) and how it was misty and eerie and the armies couldn’t see one another and the sound was muffled by the fog. He described the atmosphere, how the soldiers must have felt. The sounds, the temperature, the smells….
He'd seen something in that painting that had connected with knowledge he had of a particular event in history  and through the work could immerse himself in that moment.

That’s the power of abstract art. The unique and personal response of the viewer to a painting that means something completely individual to them.
I’d say that’s ‘good’ eh?

'BLOGGING'

Writing blog posts

I’ve decided to try and write a little more about my work, as an insight to the creative process, the ideas and concepts behind what I paint.
It means so much for people to support and be interested in what I do. When you make art and sell your work you’re sharing your way of seeing the world with someone else and drawing them in, and they’re adding little bit of their way of seeing the world in how they view your work.
It’s such a lovely thing to be able to do, to have that connection through colour and marks and texture. It’s paint isn’t it, and it’s just magical that it can open up worlds.

I’m not so great at writing, my head goes too fast for my hand, and I definitely can’t type fast enough!
I also know that my mind is not exactly ‘process driven’. My husband will quite often say to me ‘would you like to finish one of those sentences Rach?’!  When I plan, it’s drawings, or lists that turn into spider diagrams. I accept that I don’t have a logical computer brain, and I like to talk freely and emotively about my work.

I recently had the most lovely studio visit. A lady who has a few of my pieces came to buy a big painting for a nice big space.
We talked a lot!  About how I capture emotions, conscious and unconscious thought processes, drawing, motherhood, nature, colour, the feeling of ‘home’…
A flowing conversation opened up so many different ways of seeing the work, and she felt like she had a really deep connection with it.
I wondered how I might capture that flow in ‘blog’ form. I’ve been using the dictaphone on my phone, its hilarious! It’s been struggling with my Bedfordshire accent and the stream of consciousness has been amusing.
BUT, it is getting things down in writing which I can then translate and put on here for anyone who would like some insight.
So, give me a shout if there’s anything you’d like to know more about. I’ll try and stay on topic!

Very loose sketches in the studio

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I’VE BEEN PUTTING A COLLECTION OF PIECES TOGETHER FOR RACHAEL FROM THE OLD LOCKUP GALLERY TO SELECT FROM FOR HER UPCOMING SHOW - THE COLOUR OF NATURE.

It’s so interesting to look at my new work, especially in the context of the exhibition title.
There’s a freedom, a confidence with marks and colour that I’m really enjoying. Staying put in Herefordshire for a while has done me good. The rich soil, trees and hedges have seeped into my work, in colour and texture.

I can see my work becoming more obviously seasonal….

Previously a lot of my inspiration came from winter trips north, and fed into my work over the year. Now I am really rather happily rooted in our spot by the Black Mountains, (with the occasional trip to the Pembrokeshire Coast) and I think it’s going to be interesting to see how my work develops now I’m painting regularly again.

‘One day like this’ (Based on a day in Pembrokeshire)

I’m continuing to paint when I can and I’m enjoying every second in the studio. I have new work out in the world and it’s exciting to see what a positive reception it’s getting!

R xx

UPDATE AND NEW WORK

It’s been a while!

Since my last post, re my new studio, rather a lot has happened.

We now have TWO lovely daughters, Evie and Skye (my lockdown baby) and I am back to painting after a break.

Having less time on my hands has certainly given me focus and a new sense of confidence and freedom in my work. If you have less time for procrastination, you tend to trust your initial instinct a little more!
I love being a Mum but the quiet of my studio and the ability to be completely absorbed in something creative does me good. I’m making work I’m really happy with.

I’ve just finished a series of small works on board, just 20 x 20 cm. Here are a few images of full pieces or sections.

I’m now working on 3 larger works. Here’s one in progress.

Distractions…..

ARCHIVE SALE

We moved to a new house around Christmas (NEVER doing that again!!) and I have been very lucky to get a perfect new studio built. While sorting and being rather ruthless I have found some slightly older, but still lovely work.
I’ve decided to do an archive sale, so that these pieces can be enjoyed, rather than being stuck in a drawer! They are all unframed so the prices are very reasonable.

Do give me a shout if there is anything you’d like to have on your walls (especially while we are all stuck inside looking at them!!)

GO TO ARCHIVE SALE

EXHIBITION AT THE OLD LOCKUP GALLERY

A few (one handed because I had a little helper) snaps from my exhibition at The Old Lockup Gallery in Cromford, Derbyshire.
There was a lovely warm log burner and lots of people braved the cold and snow to come to the PV.

LITTLE CHANGES

Someone asked me recently if I thought my painting style had changed since having a baby. I can certainly see a gradual development.
Since having Evie, I have a new found confidence, perhaps once you have given birth you know you can do anything… or maybe I just have less time for procrastination! Either way, I am enjoying my time in the studio and am pleased with the work I am making.
I think I am embracing slightly more obviously gestural marks, as well as the natural qualities of the paint. I like the looseness it is creating but I hope I am still creating softness and stillness in my work.