What a fantastic week I had in the Crypt Gallery of the St Ives Society of Artists!
This year, I focused the exhibition on one of my collections – VESSELS.
Started in lockdown 2020, the Vessels Collection was originally inspired by boatworks in St Ives Harbour.
The early artworks meld the natural and man-made landscapes I encountered on my daily walks in those quiet, strange times of lockdown. They reflect what remains of the fishing industry and the almost eerie sense of stillness and calm that descended upon St Ives.
The artworks developed over the following 18 months or so to reflect my responses to events over this time.
When a form of normality returned to St Ives, the artworks became more lively and vibrant – with more movement.
When times seemed less positive, a more monochrome or threatening mood overtook the works. In the main, however, they form a joyous collection.
The term Vessel has the obvious nautical meaning but also has biblical and biological associations. Facts that were not lost on several visitors.
The exhibition was really well received – including a great write-up in the local newspaper. I met lots of lovely people and had some great conversations about art, life and everything. There were so many lovely things said about my work but probably my favourite quote was “your artwork has lots of secrets to tell!”
