Gallery 94 at Glyndebourne first appeared on my radar in October 2020. Nestled in the Sussex hills and full of magic and wonder, the location felt perfect for me and my work. It was half term and I started to write them an email but we were off for a wet day out to Arundel castle and so I never actually got round to sending that email. Then, at the end of the week, I received a message from them to me. Well, was this the universe at work or what?! I just love magic moments like this! Blessed indeed!
We started to talk about a collaboration, maybe some work for Christmas, but that time frame was too short. Instead we agreed to hold an exhibition in February to give me time to produce a body of work. Not only was I delighted to have my works at such an iconic location but also I was happy to be supporting an arts venue that has been hit so hard by the COVID restrictions.
Nerissa Taysom, the curator of Glyndebourne’s Galley 94 (named after the year the gallery was established) suggested a visit to the grounds. Of course, I jumped at the chance. It was a glorious winter day in December so no coat was needed; just my sunglasses! Now Glyndebourne isn’t the easiest place to visit when you don’t drive so I took a taxi (my first in 10 months). Donning my face mask, I got into the taxi for this great adventure. I felt like a child as I really didn’t know what to expect and the excitement only grew inside as we drove from Brighton to Lewes, with the green rolling hills passing the car window. The taxi driver reminded me of my dad (who also was a cabbie) and it was so lovely to have a chat with him about his family.…I so miss meeting random people and hearing their stories.
So we arrive at Glyndebourne and, oh my word, it’s amazing. The shapes of the Sussex countryside and the strong architectural lines of the amphitheatre and house are poetic.
Eeeek! I’m told to meet at the Stage Door. As you can imagine, by this time, my heart was fluttering with the expectations of seeing the wonderful grounds. I just couldn’t stop taking photos. I meet Nerissa at the Stage Door. She is as excited as me as she takes me on a tour of the grounds. Wow! First off, I spot a Moore sculpture looking very pleased with her position in the manicured garden. I studied Sculpture at university and I always think I will return to it in the future. We turn a corner in the garden and, boom, there are some incredible brutal rusty sculptures by Nicholas Hare. It is almost like they have landed from space! The orange of the rust mimics the red brick of the house.
I find myself taking lots of photos of the surrounding hills but when I get back to the studio and study them I realise I have also unconsciously taken photos of all the flowers that were in bloom in December.
From those whopping great sculptures, we walk around the lake which reflects all the fantastic colours of the day. There is a sculpture at the far end of the lake called the Diver by Lucy Unwin. I think about the Diver here on her own day and night. The majestic stillness, almost like the keeper of the lake casting her eye across to make sure everything is in order. I particularly love her toes and the way they have captured the moment that she is about to gracefully dive in. I look across the lake and have to pinch myself with how very picturesque the whole setting is. A total gift for an artist and I can already feel the paintings brewing away inside.
I feel very lucky indeed to be here on a private tour; a soul enriching experience. There could be no better place to be to reflect upon these strange times that we find ourselves in and, somehow, these views of Sussex reassure me that this time will pass. These winter gardens will soon be budding for spring again and, gosh, how I must visit in summer when they are in full bloom.
I, like everyone else, have taken to walking (as there’s nothing else to do) but I find these walks are such treasured times. Escaping to these hills in Sussex has been a sanctuary and, while I look across the the view, I feel immersed by the sky and hills and it ignites the flame within me to go and paint and enjoy these sacred spaces.
When we walk down back towards the house, my eye catches the fish in the lake, happily swimming away. There are even some small gold fish. All these little details are going into my mind bank to influence my painting back in my studio.
So, when I return to my space, I immediately start laying down the ground colours on all of the canvasses. I work on multiple canvasses at once and start out with many more than will end up in the final exhibition. Editing is an important part of my process. Almost like a contact strip in photography. I work this way so the brush marks can be expressive and spontaneous.
Part of my practice is to record the different stages of my work and I use Instagram like a diary, posting every stage, each day. I do this for myself to refer back to but also people who follow me have mentioned that they love seeing the journey of the work too.
I spend Christmas referring back to the photos I have taken and thinking about what colours I will be concentrating on. Well, it has to be the greens of the gardens and grounds from that glorious winter’s day. My plan is to devote all my time to the studio, once the Christmas holidays have ended and the children are back at school, but then, like everyone, we receive the news that we are heading back into lockdown. I wonder to myself whether I will have time to paint and home school. In a funny way, I actually think my paintings are stronger when the pressure is on. Less faffing or overthinking colours and brushwork and more direct and decisive marks.
The collection is starting to come together. I can feel the finish line is in sight! I stand back and assess where I am. I immediately know which paintings are the weakest and I put them to one side. Over the next few weeks, I concentrate on the canvasses that are going to be in the final collection, making the smaller adjustments to each one.
I have the date booked for my talented photographer and I put in some 12 hour painting days. Lucky for me these long days are a joyful escape and I just love being in the studio. At this stage, seeing each smaller mark has a huge impact. I’m excited about how strong this collection is looking.
Phew! I did it! My work is all with the photographer and I can relax. One of the most amazing parts of the whole process for me is when I get the email from the photographer and see the work on the screen, and yes I am so very pleased with how it looks. I am sad that, due to Covid, the exhibition will be online and my collection won’t be physically hung in the gallery but I suppose I’ve had to get used to this, over the last year.
The work is taken to my brilliant, talented framer, Victoria Homewood. I’ve decided on a bespoke wide frame which will be painted in Farrow & Ball Studio Green. I receive a photo from my framer and it the work looks even more incredible than I could imagine. These frames are expensive but are worth every penny. They are a wonderful dull deep green, which really gives the paintings a lift.
Drop off day is here! I can’t drive and, as it’s lockdown, the whole family is joining me on this last leg of the adventure. Brighton is under a heavy fog but, as we drive out to Lewes, the blue skies appear and life is feeling good. We head back to the Stage Door, where I first met Nerissa, and I deliver all of the finished and framed work. I feel quite emotional and punch the air, much to the embarrassment of my children, and take in the moment. I hope you enjoy the work as much as I have enjoyed painting it xx.
Rituals and Repetitions can be visited online at Glyndebourne throughout February. Click here for more details.