Artist Interview: Curtis Holder

 

Curtis Holder tells us more about his work, after winning the Dry Based Medium prize at the ‘Works on paper’ exhibition at the Gallery at Green & Stone, with his drawing HIRSUTE III earlier this year. Curtis is a multi-award winning artist, including The Tom Coates Memorial Prize at this year’s Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, winning the Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2020, and a previous winner of the St Cuthberts Mill award at Wells Art Contemporary held in Wells Cathedral in 2022.


Can you tell us a little about yourself and your practice?

The focus of my practice is to use line to investigate motivations, connections and conversations through the passage of time. I work primarily in the medium of coloured and graphite pencils to create large-scale portraits and figurative works on paper.

Hirsute III by Curtis Holder

Ultimately my work aims to present an interpretation of the thoughts and feelings of others, as well as my own. I use my pencils to pose and answer difficult questions, in the hope of finding a resolution. My subjects sometimes sit uncomfortably within large amounts of negative space. These compositions enable me to feel free and to take up space in a way that I, and some of my subjects, feel unable to do in everyday life. The drawings document the thoughts and conversations of individuals who would otherwise be unlikely to give themselves room or permission to share this part of themselves.

My drawings emerge in a wayward series of febrile lines, which I layer to reveal a subject’s form, movement and emotional intent. Even if the marks initially appear erratic, when resolved, the drawings convey a stillness and calm. This contradiction leads the viewer, myself included, back to the work time and time again to unravel the threads that lead back to the core of the conversation.

Your work is large and involves multiple pencil layers, how do you start a piece like this, are there multiple sketches prior to starting?

I prefer to start every drawing with a conversation while I’m sketching the subject. It’s an opportunity to glimpse into their mind and make a personal connection. My goal is always to translate their emotions and the mood of our encounter onto paper, along with my own feelings and observations. I need to understand them a little, even if it’s fleeting, and I start to achieve this through quick preparatory drawings while secretly searching for more information.

From the initial conversation and sketches I will get a sense of how I want the work to feel, so it’s an emotionally driven process. Whatever feeling I have settled on influences all the key decisions: the composition, the colours and the intensity of the marks. I sketch out ideas for the composition, and when that’s decided I will get the model in position to set about working on the main piece.  Firstly, I do an underdrawing, more often than not using red pencil. The underdrawing is a bit like an architect’s plans - the framework for the final piece. I then build up the features and contours of the sitter’s face and body using complex layers of colour, incorporating spontaneous lines to emphasise form or emotion. To finish I add more spontaneous lines to add structure and final detail which pulls the final piece together.

Dame Judy Dench by Curtis Holder

Your artistic process involves intimate conversations with the people you draw, and your drawings are described as “dynamically tender”, “capturing fleeting gestures and emotions with sensitivity.” How do these personal interactions influence the direction and narrative of your artwork, and do you find that your subjects actively contribute to the creation of their portraits?

Whenever possible I work from life. Conversation is the starting point of all my work, well before I put pencil to paper. The dialogue I enter into with my subjects is a point of connection where we can share our experiences and emotions. It’s where we begin to understand our individual motivations, differences and similarities. It’s the point where, together, we begin to make the work. Mark making is the conduit through which I try to translate and extend that spoken language into something more complex. I hope to present deeper layers of emotion in the work, as well as recording the passage of time we spend together through the multilayered lines of pencil.

You work in graphite and coloured pencils, what qualities do you look for in your paper?

Drawing from Brotherhood 
by Curtis Holder

I prefer paper with some texture and I use high-oil content coloured pencils. I like the idea of a deliberate struggle and dance between pencil and paper. It creates a spontaneous and immediate connection, encouraging unpredictable marks which contribute to the final work.

Looking ahead, are there upcoming projects, exhibitions, or themes you are excited to explore in your future work?

I’m currently artist-in-residence at Leeds Art Gallery where I’m in the process of creating new work for the gallery’s permanent collection, responding to the theme of decolonisation. The residency is part of the UAL (University of the Arts London) Decolonising Arts Institute’s 20/20 programme, which is supporting 20 artists to take up residencies in 20 public art collections, galleries and museums across the UK. I feel incredibly fortunate to be working with the gallery and contributing to this vital conversation around the representation of minority communities in our museums and galleries. 

Curtis Holder receiving his award from Alan Walker,
St Cuthberts Mill Chairman, and Heston Baldwin,
from Gallery Green & Stone

To see more of Curtis Holder’s work visit:
www.curtisholder.co.uk 
www.instagram.com/curtisartist


Curtis Holder won the Best Dry Based Medium at the Gallery at Green & Stone ‘Works on Paper’ Exhibition 2024:
https://www.thegalleryatgreenandstone.com/works-on-paper-online-catalogue

Stretching Watercolour Paper Without a Bathtub by Edo Hannema

 

Stretching watercolour paper to a board is an excellent way to ensure your paper remains taut, so large washes of water don’t buckle the sheet. Standard methods to stretch paper involve using a bathtub or a large tray to soak the sheet. But it is still possible to stretch paper without these items, using tips shared by our Dutch ambassador Edo Hannema.  

Edo’s passion for painting expansive skies and calm waters play a dominant role in his paintings and involves using lots of water, so he likes to keep his paper tightly stretched to a board.

Cornwall Landscape by Edo Hannema on Millford

How to stretch watercolour paper (without a bathtub)

Step-by-step instructions:

• Use a quarter imperial sheet 38cm x 28cm (15”x11”) sheet of watercolour paper. Lay the paper flat on a clean surface that importantly can resist water. 

• Using a soft hake brush, use clean water to wet the paper, by brushing the sheet on both sides at least three times. Flooding the paper with water, so it is thoroughly wet.

• Leave the paper to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, giving the fibres inside the sheet time to swell.

• Measure strips of gummed tape ready to stick to the papers edges.

• Very carefully pick up and place the paper on a dry board. Now the paper is wet the surface is fragile and can easily mark.

• With an absorbent piece of kitchen roll, lightly dry the edges of paper ready to apply the gummed tape. 

• Wet the gummed tape with a damp sponge (not too wet, but wet enough!) and smooth onto the papers edges and board.

• Leave the paper to dry naturally overnight. As the paper dries the fibres contract, but the gummed tape holds the sheet in its ‘stretched’ position, giving you a tight painting surface that will stay flat even when flooded with large wet washes. 

• After your painting has dried, remove the painting from the board by carefully cutting around the edges. Be very careful of your fingers.

Watch the video:

Bonus tip from Edo - How to remove gummed tape from the board

Once the painting is removed, you are left with the gummed tape stuck to the board

• Cut or pull off the remaining watercolour strips.

• With the tape stuck to the board, soak with a wet sponge and leave for 5 minutes. Repeat!

• Loosen the tape with a palette knife or similar. 

• Wipe down the board. It is now ready for the next painting!

Watch the video:

Edo uses Bockingford, Saunders Waterford and Millford paper, and changes the type of paper he uses depending on the primary techniques he is applying for the composition.

To learn more about traditional stretching techniques using a water tray or bathtub, see the article on our website.

Edo's studio

To see more of Edo Hannema’s painting videos visit:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuulNUJt3BrrMKbbj2zijOA?view_as=subscriber

View Edo’s paintings at:

Blog: https://edohannemawatercolourartist.wordpress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edohannema.watercolourart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YeddoHannema

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/edohannema.watercolourart

To learn more about our range of papers visit our website:

www.stcuthbertsmill.com

Artist Interview: Lindy Norton

 

The Crossing by Lindy Norton
Tetrapack print on Somerset Satin

Lindy Norton received a Highly Commended prize with her Tetrapak Etching print called THE CROSSING at the ‘Works on Paper’ exhibition held at the Gallery at Green & Stone earlier in the year. She has been practicing as a printmaker since 1985.

We spoke to Lindy to about the eeriness she achieves in her work, along with what Tetrapack printmaking involves.

The print has a sense of unease as the man is on the crossing, is this an intentional part of the composition?

The unease you suggest in this print is intentional. I like my images to have a narrative, often unsaid and not entirely obvious. I hoped to get some sort of tension in this image, one man turning to look at the other who is engrossed in his phone. It could merely be one moment between two strangers or maybe friends…one is clearly pre-occupied!

The Crossing by Lindy Norton
Etching on Somerset Satin

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your practice?

I am primarily a printmaker although I do paint. I love to draw. Etching is an extension of drawing for me and it is a medium that allows me to explore mark-making. Etching yields the tones and blacks that are elusive in pencil drawing…and so it’s my go to subject for atmospheric prints. I love interiors, empty rooms, shadows, lace curtains…

The people on crossings are a new departure for me. It came about from a holiday apartment last summer in Kefalonia. We were on the third floor and I could look down on people returning from the beach, walking dogs etc. with their lovely long shadows.

I teach printmaking part-time as well as pursuing my own practice. 

Can you explain what Tetrapak etching is, and what it involves? How many prints can you achieve in an edition, with this type of etching plate?

Tetrapak etching is similar to drypoint etching. The only difference is I am using the inside of oat milk cartons. The silver layer is peeled off to achieve the blacks and the line are achieved by scoring with a needle. You can only print about 8 prints before the Tetrapak starts to deteriorate.

What do you look for in a paper to achieve the best acceptance of ink?

I like to print on a heavy (250gsm) soft paper to achieve the best results. I soak this for about 10 minutes before printing. I like a soft paper as it yields into the etched line as opposed to a paper that has more size in it and is harder. 

Dad's Chair by Lindy Norton
Etching on Somerset Satin

Windows, hallways, stairways, and alleyways are recurring subjects in your drawings, paintings, and prints. What draws you to these particular architectural elements, and do they hold specific symbolic meanings or associations in your work?

I am drawn to windows, hallways, stairways…they are re-occurring subjects for me. It feels instinctive. It all began when my parents lived next door to an abandoned workhouse. I was at art college and would go into this building that was mostly boarded up, it was dark and unnerving. But the atmosphere was incredible, and I could sense the history and lives that had dwelt within the walls of the building. It was exciting but un-nerving…. so, I aimed to capture the sense of unease within a series of etchings. I wanted to capture that sense of human presence without stating the obvious and including the figure. That fascination for empty rooms and houses has remained with me.

Looking ahead, are there specific themes or projects you are excited to explore in the future, or new mediums you are considering incorporating into your artistic practice?

Blue's New Coat by Lindy Norton
Hand coloured etching on Somerset Satin

I am beginning to explore different subjects alongside the rooms etc. I love the elevated position. Looking down on people, dogs, animals…with long shadows. People watching, I guess. I am watching them but they are unaware of me so that puts me at an advantage. I am not sure where this is going. I love observational drawing. Narrative is something that I love to explore…meanings within images that leave the viewer pondering.


To see more of Lindy Norton’s work visit:

www.lindynortonillustration.com

www.instagram.com/lindy.norton/

 

Lindy Norton won the Highly Commended prize at the Gallery at Green & Stone ‘Works on Paper’ Exhibition 2024: 

https://www.thegalleryatgreenandstone.com/works-on-paper-online-catalogue

Artworks all on Paper: Somerset⁠ Satin White 300gsm. To find out more about the Somerset range, visit our website.

Artist Interview: Rebecca Jewell

 

This month, artist Rebecca Jewell is giving a class with Sandy Ross Sykes at Gallery Green and Stone, in London, called ‘Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens: Butterflies and Beetles'.

After studying at the Royal College of Art, Rebecca and Sandy formed Drawn from Nature to continue the important work of teaching observational drawing of natural history.

We spoke to Rebecca about her work, inspiration, and interest in the Climate Crisis and environmental issues.

Ferns by Rebecca Jewell on Somerset paper,
selected for the Royal Academy
 Summer Exhibition 2024

Tell us about your practice and your journey to get to where you are now.

I am a practicing printmaker and fine artist. I did my PhD at the Royal College of Art in the department of Natural History Illustration. My work is based around the study of nature and material culture – making prints and drawings of specimens and artefacts in museum collections. After graduating from the RCA in 2004, I was artist in residence at the British Museum for several years, working with the collections from Oceania. I also had a printmaking fellowship at Sir John Cass School of Art, where I devised a process for printing images directly onto feathers. These I collage into ‘objects’ and ‘artefacts.’ I have exhibited with many galleries both in the UK and around the world and my work is in several national collections, including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Maritime Museum.

Cornish Flowers by Rebecca Jewell 
on Bockingford

Tell us about ‘Drawn from Nature’ with Sandy Ross Sykes

We met at the Royal College of Art where we were both studying in the same department, Natural History Illustration and Ecological Studies.  This course had been founded by John Norris Wood in 1971 and he taught there for over thirty years. We were two of John’s last students before he retired and the course was closed, he died in 2015. Realising that there were very limited places to study Natural History Illustration in the UK, we founded Drawn from Nature as a legacy to John but also to continue the important work of teaching observational drawing of natural history.

Earlier in your career, you spent time in Papua New Guinea - how did this experience influence your work?

When I was eighteen, I went to live in Papua New Guinea with an anthropologist and his wife and four children. I helped Wojtek with his fieldwork, and I spent time with Kathy, an artist, and I learnt from her how to paint with ink and wash and watercolour. I spent nearly a year with the family, it was hugely influential on the rest of my life – living in the cloud-covered rainforests, seeing birds of paradise and wild cassowaries, and witnessing and taking part in Moka ceremonies where the people dress in beautiful feather headdresses, decorate their bodies and dance and exchange pigs and gifts. After leaving PNG I studied social anthropology at Cambridge and continued my interest in Pacific cultures through my work at the British Museum.

Fox Monoprint by Rebecca Jewell
on Somerset paper

Given your interests in biodiversity and conservation, do you aim to raise awareness or convey specific messages through your work? If so, how?

I believe that art is a powerful medium for getting messages across about the Climate Crisis and environmental issues. I spent time in Malta, monitoring the illegal hunting of migrating birds, and out of that experience I made a series of works using mist nets sewn with printed feathers, representing the cruel practice of trapping birds in these invisible nets. Recently I had a residency with Cambridge Conservation Initiative, looking at seaweed biodiversity and making nature prints of pressed seaweeds from the Cornish coast, where the habitats of seaweeds are changing due to the warming of the sea, and some species are in decline.

Sea Eagle by Rebecca Jewell 
on Somerset paper

Unique to ‘Drawn from Nature’ is an exceptional collection of natural history specimens – what sort of specimens have you collected and where have they come from? What is your favourite specimen?

Both my parents were zoologists, so the foundation of my collection came from them – my father brought exotic feathers, lion and warthog skulls back from his fieldwork in Africa, and rhinos’ teeth and porcupine quills. Over the years I have added to this, from feathers and butterfly specimens given to me by zookeepers, to fossils, shells and minerals that I’ve collected on my travels. I’ve also bought vintage hat feathers from antique fairs, and I have a collection of beautiful eggs which belonged to my great aunt.  

Perhaps my most prized item is the skin of a King Bird of Paradise, which belonged to my father, and I discovered it in a drawer after he died. It has two glorious tail feathers with iridescent spiral discs at the tips.

Penzance Vase by Rebecca Jewell 
on Bockingford

What is the importance of drawing to you? 

Drawing is at the core of my practice. As the artist and philosopher John Ruskin said, to learn to draw is to learn to see. I really believe that by looking and drawing something it helps you to understand it, to fix it in your mind and to appreciate the structure or design of an object. The slow concentrated process of eye to hand drawing, can’t be replaced by the click of a camera. 

What is your go-to paper to use and why? 

When I am printing, I like to use a smooth heavy paper, especially St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Satin in soft white - the heavier 300gsm weight. When I am painting in watercolour and ink, I like to use St Cuthberts Mill Bockingford, also 300gsm -  this is affordable and has lovely results.

Cornish Wild Flowers by
Rebecca Jewell on Bockingford paper

During Works on Paper, you taught a class at Green & Stone called ‘Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens’ – can you tell us about it?

In our classes we share decades of knowledge that has been passed down to us as artists over the years. We structure our classes to pass on many tips and hints we have learnt ourselves. We also like to talk to our participants about the materials they are using…how their paper is made from cotton, and the history behind the coloured watercolours they are using. The specimens being painted are also full of fascinating stories. We have always had enthusiastic feedback and many of our students are loyal followers. We have found that our methods give the complete beginner confidence, and the established artist fresh inspiration. As the last graduates of The Royal College of Art’s ‘Natural History’ painting course, we feel passionate about sharing the skills needed for this work in order for it not to be lost.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP BY DRAWN FROM NATURE

Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens: Butterflies and Beetles at Gallery Green and Stone, London.

For more details, visit:

https://www.thegalleryatgreenandstone.com/events/rebecca-jewell-sandy-sykes-nature-specimens

To view more of Rebecca Jewell’s work, visit:

https://www.rebeccajewell.com/ 

Links for Drawn from Nature 

https://www.drawnfromnature.co.uk/ 

https://www.instagram.com/drawnfromnature 

To learn more about the Somerset range visit our website.

 

Article originated by The Gallery at Green & Stone, as part of their 'Works on Paper' exhibition. Our thanks to them for allowing us to replicate the piece.

Artist Interview: Sandy Ross Sykes

 

Earlier this year, Artist Sandy Ross Sykes gave a class with Rebecca Jewell at Green & Stone ‘Works on Paper’ called 'Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens’. 

After studying Natural History Illustration and Ecological Studies at the Royal College of Art, Sandy and Rebecca formed Drawn from Nature to continue the important work of teaching observational drawing of natural history.

We spoke to Sandy about her work, inspiration, and interest in biodiversity and conservation.

Tell us about your practice and your journey to get to where you are now.

Art School started early for me at 17. Initially after a foundation year I took my first degree in Fine Art sculpture. After some years living in SE Asia, I returned to the UK and studied Botanical Illustration which led me down the path to The Royal College of Art and conservation. I started to feel as an artist that making ‘Art’ wasn’t enough. That one had to use it for a higher purpose, for the future. In botanical illustration my eyes had been opened to the work of the Bauer brothers, Maria Sibylla Merian and Margaret Mee among many others that we are still learning from today through their work. Serendipity landed me once more in Asia at a time when as now, vast areas of rainforest are disappearing along with its native flora and fauna. I set to work recording with paint and paper as much as I could over 10 years before returning to London and jointly creating with Rebecca Jewell Drawn from Nature so all may learn the skills needed to record species wherever they are, whether in a high rise flat or a country lane.

Tell us about ‘Drawn from Nature’ with Rebecca Jewell

We met at the Royal College of Art where we were both studying in the same department, Natural History Illustration and Ecological Studies.  This course had been founded by John Norris Wood in 1971 and he taught there for over thirty years. We were two of John’s last students before he retired and the course was closed, he died in 2015. Realising that there were very limited places to study Natural History Illustration in the UK, we founded Drawn from Nature as a legacy to John but also to continue the important work of teaching observational drawing of natural history.

By Sandy Ross Sykes on Saunders Waterford

Earlier in your career, you spent time in some extraordinary places - you spent years exploring remote forests in Southeast Asia - how have these experiences influenced your work?

Witnessing at first hand the rapidity of species loss in SE Asia makes me aware of how fragile our natural habitats are and how quickly they are lost forever and how important it is to record the times in which one lives as an artist. I am also greatly inspired by the C18th naturalist Gilbert White.

Given your interests in biodiversity and conservation, do you aim to raise awareness or convey specific messages through your work? If so, how?

An awareness of our surroundings is so important. These last 2 years I have been painting species on the UK red list of endangered species. We hear so much about the degradation of faraway rainforests and don’t see what we are losing from our own habitats. Art materials are an important factor in this work.

Good quality light fast watercolour paints which won’t fade, and archival paper such as that made by St Cuthberts Mill that will last centuries, are crucial to this work. Exhibiting paintings and also sharing the methods used to record species through our art classes are of great importance to the ethos of Drawn from Nature.

Unique to ‘Drawn from Nature’ is an exceptional collection of natural history specimens – what sort of specimens have you collected and where have they come from? What is your favourite specimen?

When I have painted a species often in difficult and remote places from a plant in situ, I then use herbarium techniques to dry and store the pressed plant in order that it can be compared to the painting by a botanist as many of the species I have painted are unknown to us here in the UK.

Over the years I have been able to collect many other items. The most shocking for me was a key ring bought in a market in southern China for less than £1 as a tiger’s claw. Surely it was a plastic replica I thought. But sickeningly it is real, and a lesson in how we need to do more to protect habitats and species.

What is the importance of drawing to you?

Drawing is the building block of art, but, it requires practice, if all you can manage is a 2 minute doodle a day do it!

What is your go-to drawing paper to use and why? 

St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford Hot Pressed 300gsm (140lb) traditional white. My work needs a smooth surface, so hot-pressed paper is best. I am a fan of Saunders Waterford in the traditional white as it may also be bought as single sheets and I use the large size for some of my big paintings. Good art materials are so important and so much skill goes into their manufacture. I hope to visit St Cuthberts Mill to learn more about the processes involved in making their papers. 

During Works on Paper, you taught a class at Green & Stone called ‘Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens’ – can you tell us about it?

In our classes we share decades of knowledge that has been passed down to us as artists over the years. We structure our classes to pass on many tips and hints we have learnt ourselves. We also like to talk to our participants about the materials they are using…how their paper is made from cotton, and the history behind the coloured watercolours they are using. The specimens being painted are also full of fascinating stories. We have always had enthusiastic feedback and many of our students are loyal followers. We have found that our methods give the complete beginner confidence, and the established artist fresh inspiration. As the last graduates of The Royal College of Art’s ‘Natural History’ painting course, we feel passionate about sharing the skills needed for this work in order for it not to be lost.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP BY DRAWN FROM NATURE

Drawing and Painting Nature Specimens: Butterflies and Beetles at Gallery Green and Stone, London.

For more details, visit:
https://www.thegalleryatgreenandstone.com/events/rebecca-jewell-sandy-sykes-nature-specimens

To view more of Sandy Ross Syke’s work, visit:

https://sandyrosssykes.com/

Links for Drawn from Nature 

https://www.drawnfromnature.co.uk/ 

https://www.instagram.com/drawnfromnature 

To learn more about the Saunders Waterford range visit our website.

Article originated by The Gallery at Green & Stone, as part of their 'Works on Paper' exhibition. Our thanks to them for allowing us to replicate the piece.

Artist Interview: Amy Austin

 

THE VISITOR by Amy Austin

Amy Austin received the Young Artist award (for artists under 30) in ‘Works on Paper’ exhibition at the Gallery at Green and Stone earlier in the year. Her watercolour and ink piece THE VISITOR caught the judges attention with its intriguing narrative.

We spoke to Amy to learn more about her work.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your practice?

I live in Eastbourne on the south coast and studied at Brighton University and the Royal Drawing School. I’m currently studying for my Masters in Fine Art at Brighton with my focus on my painting practice. My practice has transformed over the last few years from needing a structure or clear outcome to being intuitive and process based. I find it quite interesting that this has happened as I am someone who finds planning and routine necessary to be able to feel in control, however my art has become the place where I let that control go. I see my work as a collaboration between myself and the materials I am using, whether that is watercolour or oil paint, I let the material start the conversation. I then see my role as a weaver who pulls out the images that come to me through the paint, letting stories uncover themselves whilst building worlds for the viewer to escape into.

Can you tell us a little more about the intriguing narrative behind THE VISITOR?

I like that the narrative behind this piece is ambiguous. Which person in the work is “the visitor”? My gut tends to see the girl on the right being the visitor, as if she has accidentally found herself in this alternate space where another, unknown being, resides. Does this being know she is there looking in on their world? How has she got there? These are questions I don’t have answers to, or at least the answers may change depending on the day. What I think this work communicates though, is the sense of stepping in on something otherworldly, something that is at odds with your entire world view. I see it as a moment of distinct change, there was before this moment and there will be after this moment, but ultimately things are now different for both of the beings in this work. Lastly, the bird swooping down brings a glimpse of a world the viewer understands, and helps add a recognisable element to the work which otherwise is completely imagined.

THE VISITOR is created in watercolour and ink, how did you choose which paper would be suitable for the composition?

When I use water-based mediums I always go for a hot press paper. Although my work is intuitive and I like to loosen my sense of control through the process, I find cold press or rough papers don’t let the paint behave in the way that works for me. The flatness of hot press lets the paint reveal its qualities, especially if there is a separation of pigments that can be highlighted by the paper. It also allows for fine details, as I have in this piece of work, that I find difficult to achieve with the same effect on other papers.

Your fascination with storytelling, folklore, and mythology is evident in your artwork. Can you share a specific myth or folklore that has profoundly influenced your creative process, and how do you translate these narratives into visual elements within your pieces?

There are so many stories I could choose for this question that it’s hard to give you just one! One of the retellings that had a profound effect on me was Kae Tempest’s book Hold Your Own which follows the story of Tiresias and the transformations throughout their life from child to man to woman to prophet. Each transformation comes with either a physical or emotional upheaval and there is something about the way that Kae Tempest writes that grabs your soul and refuses to let go.

My way of translating these elements into my work is less illustrative than it sounds. It is more about absorbing as much information or research as I can about a subject or story before I go to paint or draw. I find then that the stories or characters pull themselves into my work subconsciously, as if they have travelled from my head to my hand. 

The female experience is a central theme in your work. Can you tell us more about this? Are there particular archetypes or mythological figures that consistently find their way into your art?

There is a vulnerability about identifying as female that is difficult to communicate succinctly if it has not been experienced. I have spent a lot of time feeling as if these vulnerabilities have hindered my ability to enjoy experiencing the world in the way I would like, of feeling safe, secure and listened to. As a chronically ill person, who has endometriosis and fibromyalgia, I have spent far too long at the doctors and in hospitals trying to advocate for myself, to be listened to, and for my pain to be taken seriously. A lot of this is because the conditions I have are more likely to be found in people who were born female and there is an inherent bias in institutions around the way women experience pain. I also spent two years in a psychiatric ward as a teenager, where the majority of the patients and nurses around me were female. These experiences may not come across in my work explicitly, but they are all there and I think show in the fragility and delicacy in my work. I tend not to know whether there are specific figures that consistently find their way into my work as I am painting, it isn’t until I look back over pieces that I see certain figures start to reappear. 

Your artwork is described as a conduit between ethereal realms and the tangible world. How do you see your role as an artist in bridging these realms, and what emotions or reactions do you hope to evoke in viewers who immerse themselves in your visual storytelling?

I see my role as providing a form of escape from the reality we inhabit. The world is a tough place to be in all the time, so in the same way that people like to escape into books, video games and films, I hope to provide a sense of stepping into a space that doesn’t come with the same responsibilities, pressures or worries that reality does. For many people there is a question about why we should care about art, especially when we live in a time of multiple crises both national and international. But storytelling has been the way that humans communicate hope, adversity and strength throughout history and I don’t think our need for this has changed. What I hope that people get from my work is a place to jump into, a softening of the everyday so that we can give way to a moment of imagination and the fantastical. 

Looking ahead, are there specific themes or projects you are excited to explore in the future, or new mediums you are considering incorporating into your artistic practice?

Currently I am working on my masters, my focus is on rituals, witchcraft and traditional crafts and how these can intersect with painting. I find the research aspect of my work just as exciting as the painting part, and discovering articles and books that discuss these themes feels like discovering pieces of sea glass on the beach. My work at the moment is in oil, a relatively new medium for me (compared to my experience with watercolours!) and what I find interesting is that my technique in oil reflects the way watercolour works. I work in thin layers, building up delicate areas of colour before going in with a dry brush technique to pull out the shapes that I want to, trying to ensure I don’t overwork or overload the canvas with paint. It’s always exciting to be exploring new techniques and being curious is such an important part of my practice so that I don’t get bored, I will always be willing to play in my work.

To see more of Amy Austin's work:

www.amyaustinart.com/ 

www.instagram.com/amyaustin_art/ 

Amy Austin won Yong Artist prize at the Gallery at Green & Stone ‘Works on Paper’ Exhibition 2024‘Works on Paper’ Exhibition 2024.

Art Event: Patchings Festival 11- 13 July 2024

 

Come and join St Cuthberts Mill at the Patchings Art Festival, held in the green fields outside Nottingham, UK, from 11th - 13th July, 2024. The Patchings Art Festival is a leading festival to fine art, in its thirty first year. Promising a bonanza to fine art, with an event bursting with demonstrations from the UK’s best artists, to immerse yourself into the world of painting.

Joining St Cuthberts Mill are a fabulous lineup of artists. As a leading sponsor of the festival, visit us inside the ST CUTHBERTS MILL FESTIVAL MARQUEE, with our inspiring artists who will be painting LIVE at the show, sharing tips on how they create their distinctive work.

A date not to be missed. To pre-book tickets, visit: www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk/patchings-festival/ 

PETER CRONIN   RSMA, PWS, RWW

Thursday 11th July    Saturday 13th July

Peter is a self-taught plein air painter, who has been painting for over forty years. A judge for the Welsh heats of Chanel 5’s Watercolour Challenge, and author of a couple of books. He is happiest found outdoors sketching, whilst embracing Britain’s inclement weather. Peter’s work investigates light, dark, atmosphere and mood, with shapes like buildings and boats developing from the light and shadow in his work. Peter is a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Pure Watercolour Society and the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales.

MEDIUM: Watercolour

STYLE: Landscape, marine, harbours, townscapes scenes

 

DAVID CURTIS   ROI RSMA

Friday 12th July

David is a plein air and figurative painter, working in both watercolour and oil.  David became a full time artist in the late 80’s, and has written numerous books on painting watercolour and oil. He is a member of the Royal Society of Marine Arts and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. David’s work is often inspired by the landscape and the haunting moods of the sea, where he demonstrates an awareness the role of light plays in the development of the atmosphere and visual drama.

MEDIUM: Watercolour 

STYLE: Landscape, waterscapes, marine, harbours, townscapes

SORAYA FRENCH  SWA

Thursday 11th July    Friday 12th July

Soraya is a contemporary artist known for her expressive and colourful mixed media paintings. Use of vibrant colours, light and expressive textures are prominent features of her work. Soraya is the author of numerous books, a regular contributor to The Artist magazine and a director and former president of The Society of Women Artists. Her paintings have an ambiguity and evocative quality in them, leaving something for the viewer’s imagination.

MEDIUM: Mixed Media – watercolour, pastels, acrylics, inks

STYLE: Musicians, cafés, African markets, flowers, travel scenes

 

TOM SHEPHERD

Saturday 13th July

Tom is a professional painter specialising in watercolour. Tom loves painting a broad range of subject matter, always looking for some interesting light and an opportunity to use the free flowing spontaneity of watercolour as much as possible.

Tom has travelled extensively in the UK and internationally, teaching watercolour to 100's of students. He hosts an online watercolour school, and recently has started writing for art magazines, with various books due out in 2024/25.

MEDIUM: Watercolour

STYLE: Loose expressive animals and birds

HAZEL SOAN

Thursday 11th July    Friday 12th July    Saturday 13th July

Hazel is a British artist working out of studios in London and Cape Town. Author of over 20 books, a regular contributor to The Artist magazine, and one of the art experts from the original Channel 4 Watercolour Challenge.

She paints in watercolour and oil, and is known particularly for her direct wet-into-wet watercolour approach, with rich use of pigment and strong contrasts of light and shade. Shape, interval and tone are her predominant subject matter. 

MEDIUM: Watercolour

STYLE: Figures, African wildlife and capturing movement and action

TRY & TEST ST CUTHBERTS MILL PAPERS

Want to learn more about paper? St Cuthberts Mill will be running a testing area, with lots of different types of watercolour papers to try. Learn how choosing the right surface will positively impact a painting, and experience how different types of watercolour paper change the way they accept the paint.

Meet the team behind St Cuthberts Mill. Find us in the ART MATERIALS MARQUEE for an informal drop in session.

TICKETS 

Advanced tickets to the Patchings Festival are now available on the Patchings website.

Patchings Festival entrance tickets are £14. 

The St Cuthberts Mill performances are an hour long and have an additional £5 fee. 

Buy tickets for St Cuthberts Mill Demonstrations

Patchings Art Festival is set in the rolling fields of Nottinghamshire, England, the Patchings Art Centre transforms the large grounds, where it resides, into a vibrant pop-up village dedicated to art. Patchings Art Centre, Oxon Road, Calverton, Nottinghamshire, NG14 6NU

LINKS

To learn more about each artist:

Peter Cronin

www.petercronin.org/

www.instagram.com/petercroninartist/

David Curtis

www.djcurtis.co.uk/

www.instagram.com/davidcurtisartist/ 

Soraya French

www.sorayafrench.com/ 

www.instagram.com/soraya_french/ 

Tom Shepherd

www.tomshepherdart.com/

www.schoolofwatercolour.com

www.instagram.com/tomshepherdartist/

Hazel Soan

allsoanup.com/

www.instagram.com/hazelsoan/