Come behind the scenes and see what the summer brought to the South Island Art Studio. In this post, there’ll be sneak peeks into my unique creative process, snapshots of places that have inspired me and previews of pieces set to launch in the upcoming months.
Sneak peeks: What I’ve been working on & upcoming unveilings
Abstract paintings, experimenting with techniques and styles as I build up a body of work for my Garden collection as well as some standalone pieces.
Lost in Time
Created in response to a particularly challenging time, each colour represents a feeling and how they merge together. They’re absorbed into a calendar-style grid of time - standing still, fleeting moments and the passing of time. Finding acceptance in the messiness of human nature and life.
The original painting will be available later this Autumn. Message me if you’d like to know more.
Summer Nights
Longlisted for the Visual Art Open 2023, Summer Nights explores the connection between location and memory, and how we relate to a place both in the present and when we recall it. Inspired by long summer evenings full of light and laughter outdoors, landscapes and memories merge into stripes of flat colour collaged with bands of poured paint.
The original painting will be available later this Autumn. Message me if you’d like to know more.
The Garden Collection
Rainforests, glass houses, wild meadows - some of the themes and locations I’ve been exploring in my garden collection. There have been many experiments which haven’t quite worked the way I wanted, along with some pieces I’m really excited about.
Inspiration has come from:
Travel & Nature
Open Gardens weekend (see my blog post for lots of photos), a visit to Kew and walks in our local parks all reinvigorated both myself and ideas for my Garden collection. The colours, shapes and airiness of different spaces and plants are all feeding into my art.
See photos of my favourite gardens from the open weekend
If you’re in London, I highly recommend visiting The Booking Office 1869 at St Pancras and Control Room B at Battersea Power Station for delicious cocktails and gorgeous interiors. The Booking Office brings back a touch of the glamour of vintage train travel. The attention to detail in Control Room B, and how they have incorporated the original features of the Power Station, is impeccable - even down to ‘Danger’ cards noting reserved tables.
Creative
Exhibition visits included After Impressionism and Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian. Although both of these exhibitions have now ended, you can see highlights of them online at the National Gallery and Tate websites.
The Impressionists have had a huge influence on my art, right from the very beginning. I’m fascinated by how they explored colour, light, place and time and I loved seeing the impact they had and the early works of so many great 20th Century artists.
This summer saw the launch of:
New Commissions
Three commissions were finished over the summer, and the concepts requested were all based on my existing art. Two were completely bespoke, and one was customised. See two in more detail:
Seasons in the New Forest
Pubs of Colliers Wood
Also launched this summer:
Garden Collection Cards
New London Landmark Coasters
New & Updated Tea Towels