wanderings
I’m excited to announce a duo show, wanderings, opening 12th - 22nd September, at Open205 Gallery in southeast London.
This exhibition is a dialogue between myself and Georgie McEwan, two emerging artists working between naturally dyed textile works and abstract dreamscape paintings.
The works have all been formed from their wanders; Ellen’s paintings were produced on a residency in southwest France, using earth pigments foraged on walks in the landscape. While Georgie paints unique collations of shapes, forms and textures found on her wanderings in the city.
The exhibition will bring together their differing processes as they navigate their backgrounds in textile and architectural design, showcasing a contrasting collection of works, hanging and scattered throughout the space. Inviting the viewer to wander through their expressive world of wild, natural and fantastical scenes.
The private view will be from 6-9pm on 12th September. 205 Deptford High Street, SE8 3NT. The gallery is open Thursday - Saturday 10am - 6pm and Sunday 11am - 4pm.
Below is a brief description behind the collection of paintings I’ll be showing:
My favourite thing to do is to wander; walking aimlessly with no precise destination, no time limit and no one to tell me to hurry up or slow down. During my residency at Casa Julfa my first week was spent wandering through the Nouvelle-Aquitaine landscape. I walked through forests, down dusty farm tracks, along rivers and roads, across fields and bridges, through pale stone villages. All the while taking in the landscape, the rolling green hills, dense forests, craggy outcrops, dramatic skies, the colour of the earth.
The resulting paintings have been created using earth pigments collected on these wanders, mostly terracotta, ochre and a special green mineral, Montmorillonite, that shares its name with the local town. The works have a flowing energy which mimics the surging Gartempe river, a constant presence during my time there, the curling wisps of cloud after the many rainstorms, punctuated with fractured sunlight reflecting off the water, filtering through branches and dancing on the old stone walls of the houses.
The exhibition will be a celebration of these wanders, a journey through wild, expressive scenes, and a reminder to allow time every now and then to wander.
