GUEST ARTIST EXHIBITION

Sally Anne Fitter

We are delighted to welcome this nationally acclaimed,
 Norfolk artist to the gallery for August. 
Sally's beautiful paintings make us smile, so we've
 filled the gallery windows with a floral explosion
of colour and cheerfulness.



A colourful collection of original still life studies
 in a contemporary style.



Using exuberant paint and collage techniques the artist
 transposes the traditional art of the still life to a
 joyful dynamic celebration.



All paintings are for immediate sale

Exhibition August 2-31

We are delighted to announce our first visiting artist exhibition of Norfolk sculptor Bob Catchpole.

Bob's sculptures present a dichotomy: both humorous yet thought provoking, these pieces intrigue. The works are highly tactile and well crafted, demanding to be touched. 

Artist's Statement 2021                              

Bob Catchpole harnesses the agricultural tool as a metaphor for man's relationship with landscape and buildings, attempting to explore the historic and contemporary link between the land and the built environment. His work uses farm tools that have helped to reconstruct the landscape of Norfolk whilst also celebrating the rich variety and sophistication of the tools needed to work the land.  The sculptures undermine our preconceptions about the nature of function and the man-made world we inhabit. The tools become surreal objects, at once humorous and mysterious. 

ABOVE: RAIN DANCE, HOLKHAM BEACH, NORFOLK

Simple imagery with a strong graphic quality draws me in. Rhythmic bands of interest broken with a vertical focal point is visual poetry to my eyes. The striping delineates and dissects the panorama. Whether wide or sinuous - it’s the dynamic of the sections that is exciting. It is the balance and harmony versus the abrasion of colours and textures that is engaging. I see the challenge as an artist, is how to make such basic inspiration intriguing - to translate the joy into something tangible through media. A lifetime of layering different materials to build and excavate has led to multiple approaches. The current fascination with pigment and wax has evolved over many years of experimenting to source a painting medium that embraced all that I needed to execute the energies within. In these natural materials I have found a voice that speaks my mother tongue.

ABOVE: NOWHERE TO HIDE, NORFOLK

ABOVE:  SERENITY, HOLKHAM BEACH, NORFOLK

I am seeking to create on the canvas, an almost reincarnation of a fleeting moment that requires an enveloping of the elements at the site. Whether a tranquil haven or a dramatic storm the immersion is aided with research: sketches, colour studies and photographic details. But the process of absorption, reflection and creation is so full of energy and dynamic interactions, between myself and the medium, that I find the best way to record my inspiration is by filming the subject matter. Just by taking video clips, the essence of a place is better transported to my studio, than through stills that freeze the energy I wish to evoke. Whilst, wishing to paint on site seems attractive, my chosen medium is very limited, as intense heat and power are critical.

In the studio it is a juggling act of controlling hot and cold - an alchemy of materials and old techniques mixed with new technologies. The materials are natural: pigments and bees wax, mixed with dammar resin to set the strokes. These are brushed, knifed, poured and rubbed onto specially sealed wooden boards, then layered and fused, layered and fused and repeated. The rhythm is broken by incising, texturising and sgraffito. The process is reactive with a strong element of serendipity tempered by intuition. I embrace the challenge and realise it will take more than a lifetime to hone any skill set.

The heated palettes provide softened creamy molten colour in tins waiting to be saturated with pigment or thinned and translucent. Mixing colours and different quantities of wax opens up endless possibilities for saturation and washes. The range of hand tools  employed is vast from fine dental steel implements to large chunky brushes made of wood and natural animal hair. Wax and pigments are fused with heat, which dries quickly, capturing brush strokes, drips and textures. Encaustic art is an all consuming very physical practice.  One is seduced by the process of not just applying paint with a brush, palette knife or hands but also the harnessing of heat to energise materials and move the liquids around. The fluidity of the process allows the materials to mix and metamorphose.

There are examples of this ancient art, practiced by the Greeks and the Egyptians, from 2000 years ago. The British Museum has examples of portraits from 100-300 AD. The Fayum encaustic pictures are still vibrant, providing an amazing historical testament to the longevity of the medium. Painted as part of the mummy casing, the deceased’s portrait was depicted fully dressed with a background around the head. A visit to see these in the flesh is at the top of my list for my next research trip to London.