Tabla de contenidos para Summer 2024 en Artists & Illustrators

…offers possibilities artists can’t find inside the studio. When setting up outside, painters put themselves at one with nature and the environment. Responsiveness to the outside’s changing light, forms and colours yields work that’s lively and spontaneous. In this issue, three artists show you how they do it in very diverse ways. Elaine Kazimierczuk’s practice is based on her close studies of plant habitats and meadows; she takes her paints all over the world. Phil Hobbs likes to venture out early in the morning and sketch the landscape in the Lake District, before returning to his studio to ‘take the outside in.’ Terence Clarke is a keen en plein air painter and shows you how he painted the bay near La Ciotat, a small French fishing village not far from…

NENGI OMUKU: THE DANCE OF PEOPLE AND THE NATURAL WORLD Until 29 September 2024 Journey into the lush landscapes of Nigerian artist Nengi Omuku’s exhibition, The Dance of People and the Natural World. Omuku masterfully merges human forms with nature, unveiling the intricate interplay between individual and collective consciousness, and the essence of belonging. Her art goes beyond conventional Western landscape norms, fostering a symbiotic coexistence of humanity and the natural world, transcending temporal boundaries. Through her work, Omuku invites viewers to immerse themselves in expansive psychological spaces. Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA arnolfini.org.uk ED CLARKE Until 1 September 2024 This show will be Ed Clark’s first institutional exhibition in Europe, highlighting his global journey. Like many American artists, he used his GI Bill to move to Europe,…

IN THE WINDOW OF THE ART SHOP in Mansfield’s Handley Arcade was a tin of proper artist’s watercolour paints. Seven-year-old Elaine Kazimierczuk was “always drawing, always with a pencil in my hand” and she longed to buy them, but her pocket money was only 6d a week. Then fate intervened: she found a handbag full of money. It had been dropped by an insurance rep who had been collecting premiums door-to-door. Handing it in to her school lost property, Elaine was later rewarded with a 10-shilling note – about £14 today. She promptly bought the watercolours and some good brushes, and began painting. “I used the tin for years,” she says. In the academic stream at a girls’ grammar school, she was encouraged to study sciences. “My teachers said: ‘You…

EARLIER THIS YEAR, my husband and I spent seven weeks travelling around Vietnam and India. Our adventure was nothing short of magical. The contradictions of daily life fuelled my creativity and these beautiful countries have left lasting impressions on me. As much as I’d have loved to, I couldn’t paint every day as we had a busy schedule soaking in all the sights, but I immersed myself in painting and sketching wherever I could which has resulted in a colourful collection of painted memories. laurawall.com MATERIALS From a practical level, what do you bring along for a seven-week journey with only one case? In the end, I decided to take three types of sketchbooks, a professional travel watercolour set, a variety of black Faber-Castell pens, a table easel and a…

PEONIES ARE A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION to any garden during the spring and summer. Although they are stunning to look at, when it comes to painting them, it can sometimes be an overwhelming process due to the hundreds of petals held together by a gorgeous centre with an almost glowing yellow stamen. I find it best to try to break it down into layers; usually, a few are enough to suggest a full head of petals. When tackling a peony painting, value is the key; it provides a great contrast between petals. Visually, you can layer a petal or you can curve it by using wet-into-wet or lifting watercolour techniques or a combination of both. The more variety you have in shapes and patterns, the more dimensional the flower will look.…

MESSAGE OF THE MONTH Hazel Cope Having been a registered nurse and artist for 46 years, my painting of Florence Pringle (a World War I nurse) is close to my heart. Not only is it a historical record depicting the great profession of nursing, but I have also sought to convey the experience of caring in the work. It is these illusive qualities of caring or the art of nursing which include empathy, kindness and compassion that I seek to express in my painting. This large portrait is painted in acrylic paint with some chromatic grey and brings a calm and peace to the foyer of Holy Spirit Northside Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, where it now resides. hazelmarycopeartist.com.au Sam Gould I loved art as an A Level student but never envisaged…

ELAINE KAZIMIERCZUK Since taking early retirement, Elaine has built up a large and enthusiastic following for her distinctive, colour-saturated meadowscapes, which include large-scale diptychs and triptychs. Her practice is based on close studies of plant habitats en plein air. KATE SHOOTER Kate studied fine art in Cardiff and Wimbledon. Working in acrylics, her practice is based in South Wales where she paints in her home studio in the Black Mountains. Her approach to painting has always been process driven with works often hovering between abstraction and figuration. PHIL HOBBS Working predominantly in watercolour, Yorkshire-born Phil has participated in many national exhibitions and held a number of solo shows in the UK, USA and Europe. His time more recently is divided between painting in the UK and Italy. He is an…

THE BRITISH MUSEUM’S EXCITING EXHIBITION tracing the final decades of Michelangelo’s life offers demonstrable proof that an artist’s maturity can be as fruitful as that of his youth. Challenging the conventional stereotype of inevitable artistic decline, lead curator Sarah Vowles describes the exhibition’s evolution, citing recent shows exploring “continuing creativity and dynamism in later life; we felt there was much to explore in Michelangelo’s own late period.” Born Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, Michelangelo thought of himself primarily as a sculptor, gaining his love for marble during an early childhood in Arezzo. He’d declare, “It is well with me only when I have a chisel in my hand,” yet gained great acclaim in many artistic disciplines. Often called Il Divino (the divine one), he was acclaimed within his lifetime for…

Things we love… This summer, rediscover the British painter, Fred Appleyard. Despite his Turner Gold Medal and Royal Academy recognition, Appleyard’s legacy has been overlooked. With over 100 works, including unseen pieces, the exhibition will showcase his Pre-Raphaelite beginnings, post-war impressionism and mastery of light. Located in Hampshire, where Appleyard lived post-World War I, the display honours his connection to the county. Rising Splendour: Fred Appleyard, From the Royal Academy to the Itchen Valley offers a long-overdue tribute to a British artistic great. From 21 June to 18 September 2024 at The Gallery in The Arc, Winchester. hampshireculture.org.uk Don’t miss… a new exhibition by German artist Kim Bartelt, opening in London and running until 21 June 2024. Developing from an earlier series based on iconic paintings and sculptures of the…

AT JUST 26, DANIELLE TOMLINSON HAS CARVED A NICHE FOR herself as a contemporary wildlife painter. It was her simple love for vibrant colours and a deep-rooted connection to her surroundings that paved the way for her success. Her paintings, characterised by layered washes and vigorous brushstrokes, offer a glimpse into the soul of the wilderness. Drawing inspiration from her urban upbringing, Danielle infuses a modern twist into traditional subjects. Yet, beneath the bold strokes lies a subtle narrative – each piece a reflection of personal moments, symbolised by animal emblems and thoughtful titles. Danielle’s art serves a dual purpose. It not only graces the walls of her clients’ homes but also serves as a silent call to action, urging viewers to protect the world around them. Before becoming a…

KATHERINE OF ARAGON. ANNE BOLEYN. Jane Seymour. Anne of Cleves. Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. There’s a familiar classroom mnemonic encompassing the fate of the six women fated to be the queens of infamous Tudor monarch Henry VIII: ‘Divorced, Beheaded, Died; Divorced, Beheaded, Survived,’ it rather glibly runs. Now a major new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery aims to discard the collective grouping and restore these women’s individuality; each stepping out from underneath Henry’s substantial shadow. Six Lives curator Dr Charlotte Bolland says, “The events of the 16th century, in particular the Reformation, have shaped the country for centuries, but beyond the broad strokes of historical narrative, it’s the lives of people that draw us in. I hope that in this exhibition – the first to focus on the…

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PAINT AND CREATE 1 Choosing the right model is crucial for me as it sets the tone and emotion of the artwork Connecting emotionally with the photos helps me capture the subject’s essence, personality and mood. It allows me the room to convey the depth of the individual’s character, which enhances the overall impact of the artwork. Additionally, a strong emotional connection can inspire creativity and imbue the portrait with authenticity and depth. 2 Quality is key I make sure to use superior paints, brushes and canvases. It can really make a difference in how a portrait turns out. Whenever I can, I try to play with colours and get creative by mixing hues to create beautiful skin tones and lifelike portraits. I try different combinations…

CREATING A PORTRAIT WITH CHARCOAL is, for me, an act of immersion into the very essence of the subject. I delve into the creative process, allowing each line and shadow to reveal, not only the subject’s physical appearance, but also their deepest and subtlest traits. I greatly enjoy this art because it allows me to go beyond mere visual representation and explore the complexity of the human experience. Inspired by both Impressionist and Expressionist styles, I seek to capture the fleeting nature of the moment and the richness of emotions. My focus is on conveying, not only the subject’s physical appearance, but also their emotional and psychological state. Each charcoal stroke is an expression of my own interpretation of the world around me, an invitation for the viewer to immerse…

My gold leaf landscapes are always anchored in the emotions of hope and renewal – capturing the peaceful transition from chaos to calm, evoking a sense of quiet optimism. This particular piece is much brighter than the majority of my work, inspired by the vibrant glow of a summer sunset. My connection to hope and renewal stems from loss and grief. My brother passed away in an accident when we were kids and that has shaped both my life and work in every way imaginable. Before painting landscapes, I was a portrait painter and spent my senior year of art school working on a series of paintings from childhood photographs of us. It was painful and cathartic all at once. After that series, I never painted a person again. Instead,…