Catching The Light (57 x 56cm)
**Words written by Amber L-J**
“Before my colourful imagination was dulled by adult affairs, I had a boundless love for nature.
As a child, my dark hair was kept in two long plaits, snaking down my back. I often wore faded hand-me-downs, ripped to expose my notably grazed knees.
Regardless of the weather, my intrepid spirit meant so many adventures without ever leaving the parameters of our garden. I was an architect who constructed secret hideaways and code words between friends; A warrior that would ride Coco, our beloved spaniel, into battle; A dreamer that would fall into the flowerbeds and interpret the floating, clouds in the summer sky (much to my mother’s dismay).
As the seasons changed, our backyard was given a lease of life. For each new textured leaf and intricate petal, there was a choir of songbirds that would erupt in merriment. The newly flowering garden and I shared a mutual appreciation for the glorious weather, savouring the sunshine.
Much like Alice in Wonderland, I felt shrunken as I lay amongst the blossoming white roses. They, too, strived for a better view, growing exponentially towards the heavens.
I could spend hours looking upward, alone in my thoughts but never feeling alone amongst nature.
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‘Catching The Light’ was produced in anticipation of Lisa’s second solo exhibition, ‘Tones of Velvet Bohemia’, at the Alfred East Gallery, Kettering Museum, Kettering in 2015. The red ground colour was consciously changed from the dangerously vibrant ‘Vermillion’ to a softer ‘Permanent Rose’, which has more of a blue undertone. This gives more of a romantic feel to the painting.
In accordance with the Leicester Society of Artists, this painting is a clear example of Lisa’s artistic process in celebration of seasonal change:
“Lisa’s inspiration comes from the process of capturing light and the way it affects mood and creates atmosphere in her paintings. Childhood, innocence, memories of speckled light, looking up through leaves & petals towards sunlight & shafts of light awakening darkness give an optimistic personality to her paintings.”
In terms of the British aphorism, “keep your chin up”, the action of looking up is associated with an increased awareness and optimism, despite difficult circumstances. Beautiful architecture, for example Cathedrals, always give their viewers rewarding and uplifting scenes, should they raise their chin upwards.
Upon discussing this artwork, Lisa has a certain affinity to the subject matter:
“I just love roses, especially white ones as they are never really white at all but have so many colours in their folds & shadows, they are an endless source of inspiration to me and I probably attach more symbolism to them than is entirely healthy!”
Combining the white roses and the viewer’s upward perspective produces an immersive and appreciative experience of nature, as carefree and imaginative as a child: “A dreamer that would fall into the flowerbeds and interpret the floating, clouds in the summer sky”.
Catching The Light: Framed (57 x 56cm)
The original painting, ‘Catching The Light’ is now available to purchase from Artfinder.
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