cambridge contemporary art

Meet the artist,Painting

Brenda Hartill, Illona Morrice and Lara Scobie Exhibition

Printmaking, Painting, ceramics, Sculpture, exhibitionscambridge contemporary artComment

cambridge contemporary art is delighted to launch a new exhibition with prints and paintings by Brenda Hartill, sculptures by Illona Morrice and ceramics by Lara Scobie. The exhibition runs from 28th May until 19th June. You and your friends are warmly invited to the exhibition preview on Friday 27th May from 6pm to 7pm.

Brenda Hartill is an innovative British painter and printmaker based in East Sussex. Her work explores the texture, pattern and light of landscape in richly coloured and textured images, often enhanced with silver and gold leaf. Brenda's strong fascination with the primeval, essential structure of the earth and its elements has heavily influenced her prints. While her primary aim is to develop abstract images in the studio, Brenda’s work is firmly rooted in the landscape, and she often finds it necessary to return to it. Whilst known especially for her print-making skills, Brenda has in recent years focussed her attention on a series of watercolours on handmade paper, embossed using her print-making techniques and presses.

 

Brenda Hartill

Cool Sun I

embossed watercolour

Brenda Hartill

Rainbow Storm VI

embossed watercolour

 

Like Brenda Hartill, sculptor Illona Morrice takes her inspiration from the landscape that surrounds her. Living by the sea on the Moray coast in Scotland, Illona uses the rock, stones and wildlife on the beach and in the mountains as a source of creativity. Over the years, Illona has realised she can say more with less, so her sculptures have become more simplified. Her stoneware clay sculptures are individually made by hand, and no two are ever the same. Illona also creates sculptures which are cast in bronze. Each piece is different, and only a small edition is made.

 

Illona Morrice

Penguins

glazed stoneware

Illona Morrice

Terns

glazed stoneware on soapstone

 

Lara Scobie is a ceramicist based in Edinburgh whose work is predominantly concerned with the dynamic interplay between form and pattern. This is explored through the cohesive integration of drawing, surface mark making and volume. Lara is interested in the space that surrounds pattern as much as the hue and texture of the decorated surface. Surface patterns and colour observed in botanical life enable Lara to explore her love of colour and abstract pattern making.

 

Lara Scobie

Bowls

ceramic

Lara Scobie

Set of Pourers

ceramic

 

Brenda Hartill will be giving a talk about her collagraph printing methods, as well as her unique painting and collage techniques on Saturday 18 June at 3pm. Book a free place by email info@cambridgegallery.co.uk, in person at the gallery or over the phone on 01223 324222.

Reg Cartwright, Michael Lythgoe and Sarah Went Exhibition

Painting, ceramics, Woodcambridge contemporary art1 Comment

Grey Still Life with Fish

This May, cambridge contemporary art is proud to present new paintings by Reg Cartwright, accompanied by Sarah Went’s ceramics and Michael Lythgoe’s sculptures. The exhibition runs from 30th April until 22nd May. You are warmly invited to the exhibition preview on Saturday 30th April from 11am to 1pm.

Reg Cartwright is an award-winning painter and illustrator from Leicester whose work has been exhibited around the world. He began his career as a graphic designer and became a full-time painter and illustrator in 1976. As an illustrator, he is well known for a series of picture books for young readers which he created in collaboration with his wife Ann. As a painter, he creates deceptively simple-looking still-lifes in which he renders everyday objects through subtle abstraction to focus on the tone, colour and physical qualities of his subject matter.

Suffolk Estuary

Reg Cartwright returns to cambridge contemporary art for his eighth major exhibition. His paintings continue the tradition of British Modernism, calling to mind that of St Ives School painters Ben Nicholson and William Scott. Working primarily with still life, Reg uses familiar objects such as jugs, plates and flowers as a pretext for examining complex spatial relationships. His paintings are less about the objects he paints and more about achieving a balanced and pleasing composition, attaining this by flattening perspective, omitting non-essential details and focusing on tone.

 

Bewicks Swan

Michael Lythgoe was born in Liverpool in 1950 and trained as an engineer. During a holiday in the Cape Cod region he purchased an old wooden decoy which inspired him to change careers and become a professional artist, creating wooden bird and fish carvings. Inspired by the early North American decoys Michael's stylised curvilinear representations of wildfowl and waders have now evolved into a style and form entirely unique to him. His sculptures are curvaceous and calming, combining the eye of an ornothologist with the precision of an engineer. Each sculpture is unique, carved from blocks of wood and then sympathetically painted.

Two Grass Ruffle Vases

 

Sarah Went is a Cambridge-based contemporary slipware potter who uses the traditional techniques of slip-trailing and sgraffito to create texture and pattern. Her work is hand-thrown on the potter’s wheel and individually decorated. Sarah uses porcelain clay which gives a delicate translucent quality to her work and is perfect for the soft, subtle colours that she uses. When making her glazes, Sarah aims for natural colours reminiscent of the sea, sand and plants around the coast or from her garden. 

Meet the Artist - Marina Bauguil

Meet the artist, ceramicscambridge contemporary art1 Comment

Marina at work in her studio

 

If you have been to our gallery in the past month, you will have noticed the characterful porcelain creatures that are currently populating our front cabinet. These 'Kami', as they are called, are designed to evoke 'the sacred element or spirit which can be contained in everything, expressed in an awe inspiring way.' They are lovingly and delicately created by Marina Bauguil. Marina has answered some questions for us so we can learn more about her wonderful work.

 

How do you go about making a new piece?

Red Fox Spirit

I usually go back to my sketchbook to pick up on my last train of thought. Next, I sit in my work space for a while and become present using a meditative approach, then setting an intention for that working day - this can be as simple as "have fun today" - all the while letting my ideas simmer. After that I get the clay out, put music on and start rolling out small coils, which I hollow out and model. Each piece then appears intuitively, a bit like an information download: I let myself be guided by what the piece is telling me.

 

How did you get started with your art career?

I studied sculpture at Falmouth School of Art and Design for three years and spent a further two studying ceramics in Nottingham. I then worked with a sculptor friend of mine firstly on a community project, then making large sculptures for the artist David Mack. I also worked with a landscape architect making large pieces for gardens and went on to do private commissions for a while, whilst working on my own ceramic pieces in my parents' cellar.

Owl Spirit

What is your preferred medium/colour pallet to use?

Clay is undeniably my preferred medium and over the last two years more specifically paper porcelain. My colour palette changes but I have noticed over the years that I like using turquoise, teal blues and greens.

What inspired the range of work that we have in the gallery?

A long fascination with tribal/ethnographical figurative art traditions such as the Dogū figures of ancient Japan or the Divination figures of Angola. I love the idea that clay holds power, for example, it can be used as a building material for construction or become a recipient for food and water but also a vehicle for the intangible such as emotions,essence or magic. The work in the gallery is partly inspired by this idea, I see my little pieces as contemporary shamanistic objects which hold a power of their own.

Which other artists do you admire?

That's a difficult question as there are so many. I recently discovered the work of Ramesh Nithiyendran which I love, I also admire the work of Claire Curneen, Kristen Brunjes and Grayson Perry.

Wind Spirit

 

Could you describe a typical working day?

A typical working day starts how I described it in the first question. I usually start around 10am and work until 3.30pm when my children come back from school. I often go back to the studio ( which incidentally is my utility room) for a few hours in the evening.

How do you see your work evolving in the future?

My work is a journey, so in a way I discover it as I go along. However, working on such small pieces is a very intense and concentrated process. I used to make very large pieces when I worked in bronze, so I would definitely like to work on larger pieces in the near future.

 

Meet the artist - Ikuko Iwamoto

Meet the artist, ceramicscambridge contemporary art1 Comment

Like Ruth Molloy, Gael Sellwood and Mani Parkes, Ikuko Iwamoto's work is another very recent addition to our gallery. 

Ikuko Iwamoto

Ikuko started making ceramics in 1990 at Tezukayama College in Japan. She then moved to London to do an undergraduate degree in ceramics at the Camberwell College of Arts and she subsequently completed an MA in ceramics and glass at the Royal College of Art. At the RCA she started to make functional pieces using a slip casting technique using plaster moulds. Ikuko is now a successful artist working from her studio in London and she has exhibited extensively both in the UK and Japan.

All of Ikuko's work is entirely handmade. The main body of a piece is usually created using a slip-casting technique. Ikuko makes all the casting moulds herself by hand. Every part of the decoration, including every single spike, is then individually crafted and attached by hand. All of the pieces are made from porcelain.

Nucleolus Pofupfou Teapot and Spiky Milk Jug

Ikuko's work is informed by her own curiosity about invisible things such as sounds, music and the microscopic world - cells, genes and organic forms. The meticuolous level of detail with which she works is spot on for a subject matter that includes the tiniest of sea creatures and the minutest of micro-organisms.

Ikuko has already achieved critical acclaim and in March 2009, she was awarded the Ceramic Review Prize for Innovation at the RCA's Ceramic Art London exhibition. 

 

Nucleolus Pofu Teapots

How did you get started with your art career?

I went art and craft history BA course in Japan and I started making throwing pots when I was 18 years old.

 

What is your preferred medium to use?

Clay.  I tried to use metal when I was a student at Camberwell, but very frustrated…

Nucleolus Pofu Teapot Closeup

How do you go about making a new cup or vessel?

I draw the shape on the paper first and then make a model with plaster.  Carving plaster by hand, and then I make mould from the model.

 

What inspired the range of work that we have in the gallery?

Microscopic patterns

 

Which other artists do you admire?

Outsider artist especially Henry Darger

 

Could you describe a typical working day?

I drop off my kids to school and nursery in the morning and then go to studio by bike. I work at my studio in Clerkenwell between 9:45am and 2:45pm and then picking up my son from school.

 

How do you see your work evolving in the future?

I make framed sculpture too (www.ikukoiwamoto.com), so I would like to make a lot of art works as well as tableware.

Ikuko's work on display at cambridge contemporary art




Meet the artist - Gael Sellwood

Meet the artist, Paintingcambridge contemporary artComment

We are pleased to introduce you to Gael Sellwood. Gael has created a series of paintings for our current Spring exhibition.

We discovered Gael's work at the Cambridge Botanic Gardens, Gael is a RHS gold medal winning botanical and natural history artist who creates highly detailed work. She captures the beautiful but often ephemeral natural objects around us. To find out more about Gael and her paintings, we asked her a few questions:

 

How do you go about starting a new painting?


I am largely colour and texture driven.  By this I mean that the subject – whether a flower, insect, shell or feather - feels right and seems to speak to me until I take it into the studio to start work on it.  I usually have an idea of how a finished piece will look.  I also develop a feel for the layout as I want to recreate a place or a season on the paper simply with the natural objects I find around.

Gael at her desk

Sign of the Times September 

How did you get started with your art career?


I loved biology and art at school.  I especially loved going on a nature walk and gathering small natural objects, plants and flowers and bringing them back to place on the nature table.  We were encouraged to look at the textures and colours and I always felt a connection with the objects.  After leaving school I did an evening class in botanical drawing at Capel Manor College.  It created similar feelings for me to those evoked by the nature table.  I was hooked. To start with I worked part time as a painter whilst having a full time day job.  Over the past few years painting (and some teaching of the subject) has been my main occupation.

 

What is your preferred medium to use?


I LOVE watercolour; especially wet into wet.  I love the slightly uncontrolled aspect of watercolour and how you cannot quite predict the result you will get.  I have been using watercolour for years now, having used oils and pastels at school.  Recently I have been using very strongly pigmented paints and also natural mineral paints, just mixed with glycerin and gum arabic.  These contribute to the resulting colours and textures on paper.

 

What are you currently inspired by?


Colour and texture.  Oh and the seasons.  I love the idea that you can take the viewer to a hedgerow with some primroses and pussy willow, or to a bed in the garden, perhaps tended by a much loved older relative just with a full blown rose on paper.  I am also slightly pre-occupied by the thought of plants that we just cannot manage without.  This is an idea that is just beginning to take shape in my mind.  I will see where it leads but no doubt it will go somewhere.

My Heart Rests in the Garden

Enduring love

My Heart's Beside the Sea

Which other artists do you admire?


I love the clever sparseness of printmaking, especially the work of Angie Lewin and Angela Harding.  My most revered painter is Rory McEwen.  I also admire the work of Albrecht Durer, especially his great piece of turf.  I love the rich colours and patterns of Gustav Klimt

 

Could you describe a typical working day?


When in my studio I start by lighting the woodburner and tuning in the radio or getting an audio book ready.  I then wander round our 3½ acre conservation garden, wood and paddock for inspiration and ideas.  The weather, the light and what I find all play a part in deciding what to do. I then go back into the studio and start with a light line drawing.  Colour and form come next, usually working wet into wet. While topping up the woodburner and listening to the radio or a book, I become engrossed in my work.  The studio has no computer or telephone so I can work for several hours without interruption.  I usually have lots of short breaks though just to keep the work fresh and to make sure my neck doesn't get too stiff.

 

How do you see your work evolving in the future?


Even when I am not in the studio I am thinking about painting.  I may be driving and the wayside plants make me think about compositions or other ideas.  Cuttings from magazines might show combined colours that I think will work well on the paper.  I am interested in developing some work that combines contrasting textures, shapes and colours.  At the moment I am luxuriating in thinking about them. The planning work will take shape this Spring, in between exhibiting and running a few workshops.

 

Meet the artist - Mani Parkes

Meet the artist, Paintingcambridge contemporary artComment

We are delighted to introduce you to Mani Parkes. Mani has created a series of paintings for our current 'Art For The Heart' exhibition.

We first discovered Mani's work after seeing one of her paintings on Facebook, and thought her work would be perfect for our exhibition. Each of her pieces are delicately painted, and give a glimpse into the lives of her characters. To find out more about Mani and her paintings, we asked her a few questions:

How do you go about starting a new painting?

If I'm creating work for a specific gallery I like to find inspiration from the local area. I love looking for quirky buildings, landscapes, distinctive features and characters. I find Pinterest is a great source of inspiration. Once I have an idea, I draw a simple doodle in my sketchbook, jotting down ideas as I go. As soon as I'm happy with the sketch I embark on the actual painting.

Sealed with a Kiss

Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine

Guest of Honour

How did you get started with your art career? 

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be an artist. My mum has often told me that as soon as I could hold a pencil all I ever wanted to do was draw. As a small child I remember receiving a tin of Reeves watercolour paints for Christmas and it felt like the best present in the world, I can still remember the smell of the paint. 

What is your preferred medium to use?

 I love using Acrylics as they dry very quickly and I’m impatient to add all the tiny details to my pictures. I like to use muted colours building up the layers as I go.

A Lovely Cup of Tea

Love is in the Air

What are you currently inspired by?

At the moment I am inspired by the beautiful county of Dorset. I have lots of lovely photographs and memories from our summer holiday. The charming landscape, beautiful thatched cottages and our children playing on the windswept beaches are an endless source of inspiration.

Which other artists do you admire?

I admire so many artists, Elaine Pamphilon, Dee Nickerson, Emma McClure, Mary Newcomb, Mary Fedden, James Newton Adams and Gary Bunt to name but a few.

Could you describe a typical working day? 

After the school run I cycle home and pop the kettle and the radio on, sitting at my living room table, I turn my simple sketchbook doodles into cheerful paintings. My bulldog Florence is never far away, giving me moral support and snoring very loudly! I paint until my family arrives home. I check my emails in the evening and have a peek at all the lovely artists on Facebook.

'Art for The Heart', Exhibition, Cambridge Contemporary Art