Ashamed to admit, I’ve hardly touched a paintbrush in days, OK, weeks !! I did go to a lovely exhibition by Hilary Owers at Parnham Mill recently – fabulous large-scale charcoal drawings which were quite inspiring. But since the draining experience of completing a module of my MA course, I just haven’t had the will to paint. However, I’m off to Cyprus again on Saturday but not before a visit to UCS Degree show where lots of my friends, fellow students are exhibiting. I hope both these events will inspire me to paint again
Here are two very short clips of the work made on this great Residency – one of the most important art experiences I’ve had , as well as being a wonderful week in the sun – so good I’m going back on June 4th for more.
Whilst this might seem a bizarre departure from my latest work on geology, it has sprung from my week in Cyprus and a chance visit to an exhibition in Kolossi Castle to see the work by Lefteris Olympios. He is a Greek artist who follows whatever subject matter catches his attention, often despite advice to the contrary. I was entranced by his multitude of beautiful ink drawings of birds, and on researching his work on my return to the UK became even more intrigued. A stop point on our visit to Nicosia at the supposed birthplace of Aphrodite had attracted my interest and had led to a large painting which I left behind in Cyprus.
I looked at the famous Botticelli version on my return and decided to try a version of my own involving four figures. I had been thinking of returning to the subject of figures and this seemed like a good place to start. I began very figuratively, intending to let the image develop gradually into a more abstract composition.
But I couldn’t make it work so drastic action was required. I tore the image into small pieces and stuck them randomly onto a fresh sheet of paper. It was important to me to retain the essence of the subject even if I would be the only person to realise this. I had tried this approach in Cyprus and found it helpful.
I let my imagination take over and the red changed from red/gold hair into the blood of childbirth. I adjusted the darks and lights to improve the composition and unite the torn shapes using a variety of materials, from acrylic in thick and watery dilutions to charcoal and oil-bars. I worked over the surface in an immersive manner for a couple of days until I felt it was finished.
Not 100% sure it’s finished but certainly more pleased than I was at the outset of the painting. I left one recognisable point within the fairly abstract image which may or may not lead the viewer to see Aphrodite diving into the waves. I enjoyed the physicality of making this image which was pinned to the wall enabling me to engage with the materials more freely than if it was on a canvas on an easel. It was also good to work on a ragged piece of paper which allowed the image to expand or contract without the limitations of a canvas. Something else which I might repeat.
The experience of working in a completely new environment in Cyprus was invigorating and made me push the boundaries of my usual practice. I felt that I had developed a little further towards seemingly unattainable goals.
A one week residency here was a revelation. Unlike any other art institution, it served as a sun-drenched time-capsule away from everyday life where we could immerse ourselves in art. I simply tried to respond to the environment and to use materials in a very free expressive and gestural way, letting the paint dictate what happened. Initially reflecting the geology of the sea and beach, after a visit to ‘Aphrodite’s (fabled) Birthplace’, an abstract piece turned into a figure rising from the waves. Altogether great artistic experience.
A visit to Kolossi Castle where there just happened to be an exhibition of work by the artist, Lefteris Olympious proved even more inspiring. On my return I looked him up online and was fascinated to learn more about his work.
Just looked at the general layout of my blogs before a-n feature me next week and there seems to be several peculiarities in the order the video clips appear. I hope anyone who bothers to view my site can make sense of it.
On Sunday I’m off to Cyprus with a group of students from UCS and one of our tutors. It promises to be a great place for an Art Residency …Paphos Art School. The temperature will be in the high 20’s , maybe 30 degrees so that alone sounds good to me. I’m taking Acrylics and a camera but NO COMPUTER so it will be a blissful low-tech break where I can concentrate on my sketchbook as I did recently on a Walk/Draw session with Ruth Philo at Flatford Mill. It was a lovely experience meeting new fellow-artists. Took my daughter, Jo there the following week too. She’s a busy art-teacher and has little time for her own work. I remember those days clearly and it’s wonderful to have the chance to do my own thing these days….retirement is quite a treat as is doing an MA later in life.
