I've been lucky enough to visit Australia three times, including the red centre and see wonderful exhibitions of aboriginal art. I really resonate with their ideas of painting the energy patterns they sense in the earth etc but as you say, so helpfully, what would that look like for me, in West Yorkshire?
I'm not sure how close you are to hills, but my immediate thought is millstone grit! I used to spend all my summers in Harrogate, travelling north by train, and was always thrilled by the change in building material the nearer I got to North Yorkshire, going from the rows of brick houses in London to predominantly stone in the north. What do you notice first/most, when you return home from a long trip?
You’re welcome! Realising that, it gave my brain a little nudge sideways for sure! I felt something finally clicked in place after years of trying to work this one out.
What an interesting post! Thoroughly enjoyed your thoughts on the exhibition and on your own work. My stitching has come to a screeching halt while hubby and I help my son and his family keep the household functional as my DiL goes through chemo for Hodgkin's lymphoma. They have 3 young kids so our help is critical. I'm still able to find some time to knit and work on an EPP project but, once again, my progress on Fab Free Motion will have to wait a while. I'm so close to finishing! I so enjoy your posts though....they're a bit of an escape in the midst of a difficult time. Thank you!
You’re welcome Karen. What a worrying time for your family, but good that you’re able to help keep the show on the road. Knitting sounds like the perfect activity to keep your hands busy while your mind is on the important stuff. Take good care xx
Thanks Izzy, I struggle with originality and I am still working out if I have a style and what it might be! I loved Emily's work and was blown away by the scale and colours. Her work brought to mind the work of John Hitchens ( which I saw at his 'Migrating Thoughts' exhibition in Chippenham last year) www.johnhitchens.com/exhibitions.
Lovely to see the exhibition through your photography, thanks. My thoughts are that we absorb all manner of styles and while we don’t actually set out to copy another’s style what we see does influence what we do. It won’t be an exact copy but there will be an influence of style. Can’t help it really. It gets stored in the ‘brain cupboard’!! 🤔
This is wonderful writing Izzy, and so enlightening and helpful to me as a I stumble along my path towards finding who I am as an artist. As a professional musician by trade and now someone who wants and tries to express myself in other ways - paint, ink, fabric etc - and gradually navigating this new-to-me world, what you have written here not only helps me to make sense of all the ideas I’m investigating now, but reflects back to my artistic musical life by shining a light onto that, and is so useful to me. Thank you! I must try to get to that exhibition too, it looks amazing.
You’re so welcome Janina, I’m glad it’s useful! It’s something I’ve wrestled with for years because magpie mind sees every shiny wonderful thing and wants a bit of it. I’m thinking as I write - being inspired by great artists could be intimidating when considering your own work, but because these paintings are so iconic and it would be so wrong to ‘copy’’, it actually makes it easier. Ignoring the end visual product, what are the techniques or concepts that appeal? Another great thing to do is to look at everything you’ve ever made that you still have (if you can!) and it’ll become obvious what’s ‘you’. And yes - go to see!! It closes early January.
Your response here is just so moving … puhleez send this whole story to Emily. I’m sure she would be absolutely blown away by your emotional response to her work 🙏🧡🥰
No, it's not you - I didn't add her bio! I've just updated the post and added a photo (I meant to before publishing). The photo links to National Museum Australia, and there's another link above with lots more paintings from an exhibition this past summer, and if you scroll down you can find all the press write-ups.
I've been lucky enough to visit Australia three times, including the red centre and see wonderful exhibitions of aboriginal art. I really resonate with their ideas of painting the energy patterns they sense in the earth etc but as you say, so helpfully, what would that look like for me, in West Yorkshire?
I'm not sure how close you are to hills, but my immediate thought is millstone grit! I used to spend all my summers in Harrogate, travelling north by train, and was always thrilled by the change in building material the nearer I got to North Yorkshire, going from the rows of brick houses in London to predominantly stone in the north. What do you notice first/most, when you return home from a long trip?
The colours and shapes of the rolling hills and fields of the Holme valley.
What a great post! Thank you. Borrow principles, not patterns was particularly helpful.
You’re welcome! Realising that, it gave my brain a little nudge sideways for sure! I felt something finally clicked in place after years of trying to work this one out.
What an interesting post! Thoroughly enjoyed your thoughts on the exhibition and on your own work. My stitching has come to a screeching halt while hubby and I help my son and his family keep the household functional as my DiL goes through chemo for Hodgkin's lymphoma. They have 3 young kids so our help is critical. I'm still able to find some time to knit and work on an EPP project but, once again, my progress on Fab Free Motion will have to wait a while. I'm so close to finishing! I so enjoy your posts though....they're a bit of an escape in the midst of a difficult time. Thank you!
You’re welcome Karen. What a worrying time for your family, but good that you’re able to help keep the show on the road. Knitting sounds like the perfect activity to keep your hands busy while your mind is on the important stuff. Take good care xx
Thanks Izzy, I struggle with originality and I am still working out if I have a style and what it might be! I loved Emily's work and was blown away by the scale and colours. Her work brought to mind the work of John Hitchens ( which I saw at his 'Migrating Thoughts' exhibition in Chippenham last year) www.johnhitchens.com/exhibitions.
OOOOH, now then!! Thank you for the link, I love it all!
Lovely to see the exhibition through your photography, thanks. My thoughts are that we absorb all manner of styles and while we don’t actually set out to copy another’s style what we see does influence what we do. It won’t be an exact copy but there will be an influence of style. Can’t help it really. It gets stored in the ‘brain cupboard’!! 🤔
Brain cupboard! Yes!
❤️ Thank you for the full quote from OW, how a few extra words can damn praise.
I haven't managed to define my artistic style but your list should help me 🤞🏻
love the colours in Emily's work and then seeing your fresh blues + in your last piece.
That's You. Sue
Thank you Sue, that’s really helpful to know - others can often see what we can’t, maybe because we’re trying too hard.
or too close. Your colours, shapes and layers are also on the pages you chose to show us.🎨 🙂
This is wonderful writing Izzy, and so enlightening and helpful to me as a I stumble along my path towards finding who I am as an artist. As a professional musician by trade and now someone who wants and tries to express myself in other ways - paint, ink, fabric etc - and gradually navigating this new-to-me world, what you have written here not only helps me to make sense of all the ideas I’m investigating now, but reflects back to my artistic musical life by shining a light onto that, and is so useful to me. Thank you! I must try to get to that exhibition too, it looks amazing.
You’re so welcome Janina, I’m glad it’s useful! It’s something I’ve wrestled with for years because magpie mind sees every shiny wonderful thing and wants a bit of it. I’m thinking as I write - being inspired by great artists could be intimidating when considering your own work, but because these paintings are so iconic and it would be so wrong to ‘copy’’, it actually makes it easier. Ignoring the end visual product, what are the techniques or concepts that appeal? Another great thing to do is to look at everything you’ve ever made that you still have (if you can!) and it’ll become obvious what’s ‘you’. And yes - go to see!! It closes early January.
Your response here is just so moving … puhleez send this whole story to Emily. I’m sure she would be absolutely blown away by your emotional response to her work 🙏🧡🥰
Sadly she died in 1996, born in 1914. Exactly the same as my granny!
Oh, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry. Clearly I didn’t read the whole thing 🙈. Granny connection 💞
No, it's not you - I didn't add her bio! I've just updated the post and added a photo (I meant to before publishing). The photo links to National Museum Australia, and there's another link above with lots more paintings from an exhibition this past summer, and if you scroll down you can find all the press write-ups.
Thank you so much 🙏. Will look now 😊xx