The feeling of being bathed in light, the potential of a new day and a new space - these are the themes I aim to express. The exhilaration of storms, shafts of light breaking through the cloud illuminating the sea or the beauty of a setting sun reflected in the waters edge of an incoming tide. Capturing the effects of light, exploring different weather conditions, the time of day, the influences of the seasons reflecting over the sea and the call of the light on the horizon are endless sources of inspiration.
I have always lived on the coast which has strongly influenced my paintings. The pull of the wide open space to the horizon, of what lies ahead – the mystery of it excites my imagination. The illusive effects of light are a challenge to paint: just as you think you’ve captured it…. it’s gone, and only the memory remains. We take comfort in light, our eyes search it out - my aim is to record and share with the viewer these changing nuances of light and experience.
I spend a lot of time on site sketching, observing, experiencing and recording information. Whilst occasionally a painting is a record of a very specific time and place, more often a painting reflects a collection of times and multi layered memories and experiences.
I paint mostly in acrylic on canvas and paper, using a variety of paint application techniques such as dry brush and glazing. Acrylic is wonderfully versatile and can be used in the softest whisper of glaze or thick impasto and everything in between. Using a limited palette I build up areas of colour and tone in many layers. Each new layer is influenced and infused with the previous to achieve a colour intensity and radiance, adding to the rich surface patina and developing textual variations. My second love is watercolour, I enjoy its subtleties of colour and texture -its sometimes unpredictable nature is a challenge to relish.
I was born in Jersey; moving to Cornwall to study at Falmouth College of Arts before completing a degree in Fine Art at the Southampton Institute of Higher Education, (subsequently known as Southampton Solent University Dorset , giving me another stretch of coastline to explore.
Previous exhibitions have been held at:
Hautlieu, The Millais Gallery,
Fisherton Mill,
The Hayloft Gallery,
The
New
Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch
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| ©2015 Lisa Le Quelenec |
