Artstyle magazine summer 16

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Summer 2016

The only magazine for artists living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire

Artstyle Magazine Summer 2016

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Editor’s Note

Summer 2016

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for artists living The only magazine shire & in Berkshire, Buckingham Oxfordshire

Welcome to the summer issue of Artstyle Magazine.

Summer is a wonderful time to get creative, as the colour spectrum and lighting of this time of year lends better to painting, drawing and sculpting than any other Artstyle Magazine

Spring 2016

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season. Among the most seasonal of subjects are flowers

ine.co.uk

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- and there is nobody better to talk about painting blooms than

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Flower Artist Yvonne Coomber (page 5). Cornwall is an especially beautiful place at this time of year, and the perfect retreat for artists looking to take in the sun and sea (page 9). If photography is your main creative outlet, then Rod Bird has some top tips for maximising your photographic potential (page 15). Most artists will be

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able to relate to the expression ‘labour of love’, but in the case of Annette Greavette, this is a very literal expression, as she took her fascination with birth to a new level of creativity and developed the Birth Series of paintings (page 12). Finally, we speak to cover competition winner Susan Norrell abut her winning piece on page 14, and find

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out more about the lovely mog - and frog - who captured your votes!

Enjoy the issue!

Caroline Seekings, Editor

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Contents

4 Big is beautiful

A look at the Big Flower Series

12 A labour of love

8 The art of practice

An insight into The Birth Project

9 Beautiful Cornwall

with cover competition winner Susan Norrell

How to train your creative eye

5 Blossoming talent

Flower Artist Yvonne Coomber

14 Q&A

We talk to Coast Artist Melanie McDonald about her inspiration

6 Love’s creation

Artistic interpretations of love

10 Creating health

Dr Rayma Mohan discusses the influence of art on mental health

7 Thiking big

The works of mural artist Gary Myatt

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15 The hidden image

Photography tips from Rod Bird

17 The power of versaTilleyty An interview with Artist Beryl Tilley

Summer 2016

The only magazine for artists living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in ArtStyle Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, and the magazine is in no way liable for any such opinions. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the content of this publication

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is accurate, we cannot be held responsible for any

Produced by:

LIFESTYLE

MAGAZINES

Editor: Caroline Seekings Tel: 07834 233346 Email: caroline@lifestyle-magazines.co.uk www.lifestyle-magazines.co.uk

inaccuracies. No advertisement, article or image may be reproduced without the written permission of the

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publisher. All rights reserved. www.artstylemagazine.co.uk

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Artstyle Magazine Spring 2016

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Cover image: ‘Who are you?’

By Susan Norrell

Artstyle Magazine Summer 2016

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Big is beautiful

Artist Anita Nowinska talks about the inspiration and techniques behind her Big Flower Series

Inspiration Nature provides us with endless interest and source materials to create art. My own passion for the intricate details of flowers inspired me to create my big Flower Series, now collected worldwide.

When embarking on a flower painting the first thing you need to do is find a subject which really inspire you, makes you stop in your tracks and think ‘Wow, I would love to capture that feeling!’

Source material Painting flowers is not just about faithfully replicating a perfect image, it is so much more.. Capturing the essence the mood that the colour and form evokes and then imbuing a painting with that sense of emotion.

Continuing the trend...

We love our cover competition winner Susan Norrell’s painting ‘Picket Fence and Irises’

Planning & Composition If possible always do sketches from life, so that you can capture the softness and movement of the flower. Taking photos is fine too, but look carefully at your forms and shapes. Create a number of thumbnail sketches to create a composition pleasing to the eye. This may often involve moving petals into different positions, or combining elements from a number of photos. Don’t just slavishly copy a photo as nature inspires, but the artist creates and adds the sense of movement and feeling trough carefully planning how the finished piece will look.

Study the colours Whatever medium you are using, consider your colours carefully. Look at the shades and tones and include the whole spectrum of shadows and tones. You wont find black or standard grey in a flower. Look really closely to see the real colour hidden in the shadows.Build up layers of colour to create depth Light & Contrast Carefully study how the light hits the petals. It’s the sense of light which will give your painting depth and life. Create a good contrast between the light and dark areas and your painting will pop from the page.

Have fun!

Most importantly really get into feeling and enjoying what you are painting, that’s the most important thing. If it inspires you , it will inspire the viewer too.

For more information visit www.nowinska.com or follow https://www.facebook.com/AnitaNowinskaART/ or https://twitter.com/AnitaNowinska

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g n i m o s s o Bl talent Flower Artist Yvonne Coomber discusses her work and inspiration for capturing the summer’s most on-trend subject...

I have been painting for as long as I can remember. I was brought up on a farm and spent much of my early years in Ireland, my mother’s homeland. I travelled widely in my twenties with a thirst for exploration and discovery.

I was both inspired and enchanted by the world and all it contained. I have lived and worked in Australia, Africa and Europe and during these periods absorbed these adventures. Subsequently they have been translated into my colourful canvasses. When my daughter was born I also spent time with a horse-drawn community in England, discovering ancient and sacred forgotten parts of our land.This chapter of my life has affected me deeply and it was a privilege to have had this magical time full of music and a profound peacefulness.

The British meadow is central to my work and I thrive on immersing myself in the magical wild places found within the Devonshire countryside. That said, everything and anything inspires my work; puddles, clouds, crumbling walls and beautiful interiors. I think that having a wealth of artistic input all around me in both my working life and home life helps to feed the font of creativity. It might be the fiery blaze of an early morning sunrise, a wild river, the tender fragility of a new leaf, or the stoic strength of an ancient oak …I take my inspiration from everything around me before interpreting it onto canvas and returning it to the world as a gift of movement, colour and hope.

Yvonne Coomber www.yvonnecoomber.com

We love...

100 Simple Paper Flowers

by Kelsey Elam features a gallery of inspirational colour photos and over 100 templates to make beautiful flowers not only for the home but for all occasions!

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Love’s creation Artistic translations of modern day love and the couple relationship

In 2001, Michigan-based wedding photographer Curtis Wiklund began a daily sketch challenge, documenting every single day spent with his wife, Jordin, for a whole year. The blog, called Drawings 365, paints an intimate portrait of an average couple very much in love but with all the usual, everyday things we’ve come to expect from our relationships. http://curtiswiklundphoto.com/sketches/

Korean artist “Puuung” believes that love manifests in ways that we can easily overlook in our daily lives. She endeavoured to find the meaning of love in daily life and translate it into beautifully drawn illustrations, with the key message that when it comes to love, it’s the little things that matter most. http://www.grafolio.com 6

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I realised I was good at art, aged 8, when my teacher encouraged my mum to enrol me in the local Saturday art club. Excited, and out of the teacher’s earshot, I asked if I really could enrol – “Of course not”, came mum’s reply, “it’ll be full of bloody beatniks!”

Fortunately I was allowed to stay on at school and take “A” level art, and it was then that I got my first taste of mural painting, being given the task of decorating our 6th form common room. Perhaps it was a tad ambitious choosing Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” as my subject, but it really ignited in me a passion for making large wall paintings.

Thinking BIG

The works and ambitions of mural artist Gary Myatt

Planning murals to be painted within a given time and budget is a complex business, but the challenge is part of the fun; as is the opportunity for gestural mark-making with big brushes on large surface areas.

Much time and effort goes in to my murals – on average, including research and design, about 8 weeks - but they are usually very rewarding.

Whilst proud of my paintings, there are some that will always have more significance than others: like being flown to India to produce a mural 10 meters long in a 5 star hotel, followed by an interview with the Times of India; and the Judgement of Paris, commissioned by Sir Peter Michael, who also commissioned a short film documenting the painting of the mural and the story behind it.

There is a wealth of creativity now seen in murals and street art, causing an increase in popularity, and I feel proud to be a part of that tradition. I am currently painting a commission for a property in Loch Lomond whilst also writing a book on mural painting, to be published in 2017.

Above: Indian street-market mural in progress Middle: Indian street-market Oil on plaster. Collaboration with Mel Holmes. 10,000 x 3,000 mm 2015 Below: Judgement of Paris

www.garymyatt.com www.facebook.com/GaryWilliamMyattArtist

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The

art of practice Why taking the time to focus the artistic eye is not only the key to skill, but also creative freedom Imagine you have an artistic muscle system, which grows in strength the more you learn and practice. The stronger this system gets, the better your accuracy, vision and skill.

The better the skill the more freedom you have to express yourself and create beautiful work. How can an artist maintain and work on this muscle? Life Drawing.

Life Drawing doesn’t have to be exclusive to the figurative Jo Harris, Owner of Henley on arts world. For the designer, Thams School of Life Drawing abstract artist, landscape painter or architectural draughtsman, drawing from life really can be a vital foundation. Studying the human form is a way of understanding shape, structure and movement; it’s a way to learn to read shadow and the subtleties of line. Our eyes are taking in the human form all the time, we are so accustomed to seeing it you’d think it must be the easiest thing to draw - but it is precisely that familiarity that makes it so difficult. Taking the time to focus the artistic eye, to really look, training it to appreciate the nuance and structure - not what we assume is there – once you learn that, you can pretty much draw anything!

‘Studying the human form is a way of

understanding

shape, structure

and movement’

As if that wasn’t enough of a reason, just going to a drawing session soothes the mind. You slow right down and whilst focussing on one subject whole-heartedly, allow the daily thoughts to be overtaken by drawing – it can be extraordinarily beneficial and meditative. Throw in the fact that you are immersing yourself in a creative environment with like-minded people, learning from each others artistic methods and it suddenly becomes clear why going to Life Drawing truly is as joyous as it is essential.

Jo Harris runs the Henley on Thames School of Life Drawing (www.henleylifedrawing.co.uk) henleydrawslife@gmail.com / 07748 567 250.

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l’ve lived most of my life near the fabulous beaches of Newquay, and even as a teenager, always took my camera everywhere! Photographs, especially ones infused with light, triggered ideas for paintings, and still do to this day. Figures, such as surfers, often remain in dark silhouette against a shimmering background of sea and sky. Once an idea has been decided on, I tend to work from memory and emotion, rather than the image of the photograph.

The reflected light on the coast of Cornwall gives it a magical quality, it has a magnetic pull on the senses. Around Newquay and Padstow, the strong northwest light bounces off the water, glancing and refracting off headlands. The light dazzles, even when shrouded in Atlantic mists. Capturing the way the light in Cornwall makes us feel is important in my paintings - the sense of happiness and freedom, the feeling of being ‘really alive’.

My most popular painting is ‘Shimmering light and salty air’ painted at Rock, in north Cornwall. I swapped to water-based paint because it’s more environmentally friendly. The process I’ve developed over the last few years starts with thin paint spilled onto canvasses which I lay flat on the floor, or on tables.

I gradually build the paint into thicker layers. My paintings begin life as abstracts and gradually evolve to become the finished work.

Living by the coast led me to think about how people spend their leisure time. I’m interested in the feelings that a walk on the beach, or going for a surf, evoke. This sense of freedom is closely dependent upon, and translated through, the use of light in my art. The one artist’s material I could not live without would be my white paint!

Melanie McDonald Coast Artist http://www.melaniemcdonald.co.uk/ Shimmering light and salty air, Rock, Cornwall Surfers and seaspray, North Cornwall Atlantic Breakers, Polzeath, Cornwall

Coast Artist Melanie McDonald sheds light on the magical quality of Corwall and reveals her unique approach to capturing its splendour onto canvas

Beautiful Cornwall

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Creating health When did you first become interested in art, and how has it benefited you personally?

I have had a creative inclination from a very young age, honed by formal art training courses at prestigious art institutions in India. I received my first state (County) level art award in India at the age of five from S Roerich, the acclaimed Russian Artist and went on to receive state and national level awards for Art in India during my school and college years. A marble art mural I created for the National Cadet Corps was placed first nationally and I won the Prime minister’s silver medal at the age of 16, a momentous occasion.

Art fulfils, recharges, refreshes and empowers me. My definition of what consititutes art is broad. Life is a choice between the mundane and the extraordinary. For me, art is a way of life. I see art and music in everything- the scrawls of a little child, making and enjoying the perfect cuppa, the colours and textures around me, the chirping of birds at dawn, the rhythm to a workman’s tools, my very way of being –everything is a form of art.

Perceiving little things in life as art makes the mundane extraordinary and enjoyable.

Art is also my perfect antidote to a hard day’s work in hospital. I enjoy sitting cross-legged on the floor with my little ones and creating a piece of art together- Creating something beautiful with children is a privilege.

Dr Rayma Mohan discusses her work and inspirations, and the influence of art on mental health

two. Unusual perhaps, but I have been told it sustains the novelty of the art I create.

Ihave also done illustration as part of a ‘Management made simple’ project for a leading Quality Management firm, depicting complex management concepts through cartoons.

My works are a mix of the traditional and contemporary, the descriptive and the abstract, complex human emotions and simple humour.

I draw on my eastern roots and my working life in the West, combining elements of tradition with modernism and functionality.

I look at life through various lenses - as a Psychiatrist, a doctor, a mother, a musician and an artist. Everyday life, situations and people inspire me. I am currently travelling in India to do community development work and the richness of the caricatures around me that can be recreated as art. The few days that I have been here so far have been phenomenal.

When and where do you like to paint most?

Serious painting happens indoors mostlyusually when the children and fed and in bed, as I am a doctor (Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist) by day and an artiste by night.

What techniques/materials do you specialise in and what inspires your paintings?

I have not had the luxury of a studio space in the premium areas of London where I have lived for almost 15 years . I am looking forward to relaxed and inspired days of painting in my own studio (Leading into a sheltered garden) in the new home I will be moving to in a couple of months’ time.

Over the years, I have worked in various media - charcoal, marble art, metal embossing etc. Watercolour painting has remained my (first and) consistent love. Oil painting has been my muse. More recently, I have enjoyed dabbling in oils more. Both are very different and beautiful techniques and I currently enjoy flitting between the

What has been the most dramatic health transformation that you have witnessed off the back of somebody adopting a creative hobby?

A creative young person, a victim of internet grooming and abuse, developed depression and self-harming. Using the technique of

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Artstyle Magazine Summer 2016

drawing a beautiful butterfly on the area she usually self-harmed on and naming it helped her. She was able to channel her thoughts and energies towards art more, stopped self-harming and two years on, secured a place in a prestigious Art college.

What is the basic mechanism by which the creative arts can influence mental health?

Creative arts can stimulate the healthy and positive parts and connections in the human brain. Using the creative arts to support emotional well-being and mental health is about focusing on the healthy part of the human brain and enhancing it, as opposed to using it solely to combat illness.

Art can influence mental health in various ways. It has been shown to potentiate endorphins (pleasure hormones), a fact borne out by neuroimagaing studies that show the areas of the brain lighting up in response to music, art and working out a puzzle/conundrum. These are all activities perceived as positive and rewarding by an individual. Art can reduce stress and anxiety and support a reduction in the stress hormone Cortisol, this supports a healthy way of life. www.artstylemagazine.co.uk

What types and range of issues can creativity help to overcome?

In my view, the term ‘Creativity’ encompasses a creative approach to medicine and patient care, and the use of the creative arts to support mental health and emotional well-being at every stage in life, in every environmental situation and in a variety of mental illnesses and developmental conditions.

A creative approach can help with a logical expression of inner tumultuous mental states and can support communication about difficult issues in a gentle and non-threatening way.

In my clinical practice through the years, I have seen creativity and art as an invaluable aid in children and young people and other vulnerable groups – to aid diagnostic processes and post-diagnostic management in a variety of conditions like Autism, ADHD, depression, self-harm, anxiety and emotional/behavioural problems of childhood and adolescence.

CAPE (Creative Arts for Processing Emotions), my internationally acclaimed novel therapeutic technique, intends to support exactly this transition. It is a collaborative effort between Mental health professionals, musicians and linguists. It has a basis in our neuroscientific research on music, emotions and the brain. It brings together the best of Eastern and Western music with wellevidenced therapeutic techniques like Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Guided Imagery, amongst others, to support self-guided emotional processing and regulation.The aim is to support optimization of one’s innate potential using the creative arts.

Dr Ramya Mohan, MRCPsych, is a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Educator with the National Health Service UK (NHS) since 2008.

Details of her work are on www.ramyamohan.com Twitter @DrRamyaMohan Facebook: Dr RAmya Ramesh Mohan, MRCPsych

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What would be a good starting point for anyone interested in bettering their health though painting or drawing, for example?

Pick up that pencil, paintbrush or musical instrument! Join that art or music class! Our brains are hard-wired to stay within our comfort zones –challenging ourselves is an ability cultivated with patience and good awareness of our strengths and limitations. This is what Darwin referred to as the ‘survival’ instinct.

However, our brains are also set up to be incredibly malleable, constantly evolving and making new connections. Tapping into this unique ability of our human brain requires us to step out of our comfort zoneS. Facing new challenges requires motivation, commitment, patience and confidence. It can be cultivated by everyone, even those with low self-esteem.

Art & Craft Short Courses Nurture your creative talents • Expert tutors • Range of subjects and levels • Beginner to advanced • Inspiring South Downs setting

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labour of love A

A closer look at the artist and inspiration behind The Birth Project - a unique series of paintings capturing the mystery and beauty of the birthing experience When did you first become interested in art and painting?

I was always a creative child, but when I applied to art school I didn't know that I was going to pursue painting or the arts as my career. It was through the intense years of university at the Ontario College of Art and Design that I realized this was my calling and passion.

What was it about birth/labour that inspired you to start the Birth Project?

After the birth of my second child-my daughter, birth became a compelling subject for me. I had had two powerful, enabling births and I was in awe of my body and the process. I became fascinated with birth, and was very interested in mothering and the various aspects of bearing and raising children. I didn't see these topics reflected in the art around me, so I decided to paint it, not realizing the depth and breadth of its potential. I now have five children and have attended many other births, and I'm continually held captive by its mystery and beauty.

Which is your favourite piece so far and why?

It's so hard to pick favourites. I have favourite things about so many of the paintings, whether because it captures an emotional and important moment for me, or because I love how I handled the paint or rendered the figure.

What materials do you mainly use?

I use oil on canvas. There is less experimentation now as there was when I was younger.

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What is the most challenging part of the birth experience to capture in a painting?

This is a difficult questions. I think one of the reasons I am so drawn to the birth experience is that so much happens to a woman from the insidethe physical feelings of contractions, baby moving, transition, pain. The emotional and mental states these experiences triggerthe loneliness of labour, the distress of transition, the peace of working with contractions, the euphoria of holding your baby, the exhaustion of having worked so hard and experiencing something so internally difficult; complex feelings of confusion, disappointment, pride, love, disconnect and joy. There is also a spiritual aspect- drawing strength from an internal source or pulling it in from an external, unknown place, being stretched beyond one's capacity and the actual crossing into life. Birth is such a many layered and complex map- so many universal experiences are played out in this singular event. I think that's what's hard to capture.

The cosmic magnitude of this common, everyday, private event.

What sort of reactions have you had to your work and the project?

The responses are overwhelmingly positive, thankfully. I think many women- and partners and families- identify with what

they see. The feel validated and affirmed by seeing these experiences represented.

It opens discussion and reflection. That's so important. I love hearing about how the work has affected people as they viewed it during pregnancy, used it as inspiration during labour, or how it has helped them process their experience after birth. Some, albeit a few, react negatively or ambivalently, or express discomfort with the nude or birth. That's ok too, all responses are welcome. If art doesn't engage, then what value does it have?

What one artist’s material could you not live without?

Coffee. That's an artist material, right?

Amanda Greavette http://amandagreavette.com www.artstylemagazine.co.uk

THE ART OF PARENTING Breastfeeding Breastfeeding is the focus of much media attention, with empowered new mothers now regularly taking to social media to demonstrate their freedom and right to nurse publicly. Before Facebook and Instagram, oil on canvas was the medium of choice for conveying the normality and everyday aspect of breastfeeding. This example entitled ‘The Nursemaid’ (1889,Helene Schjerfbeck) is a nod to the ‘freedom to feed’ movement if ever there was one.

Creative interpretations of the many and varied roles and challenges of a parent

Motherhood

Katie m. Berggren specialises in intimate mother and child paintings which convey the warmth, security and connection of this special relationship. http://www.kmberggren.com

Parenting

Perhaps a fitting symbol of our stessful modern times, Alexander Milov’s sculpture ‘Love’ is comprised of two wire-frame adults sitting back to back, demonstrating a relationship conflict. Within the wire frame are their inner children, who are reaching out to each other in an innocent gesture of reconciliation. The sculpture sends an important message in relationship management and the importance of letting go of anger and resentment and rebuilding relations quickly in the manner of young children.

Photo source: Oleg Yarov

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Q&A Cover competition winner Susan Norrell introduces us to the inspiration behind her successful ‘Who are you?’ painting...

When did you first become interested in art?

I first became interested in art very young as my mother is an artist. I have photographs of me, painting aged six!

Has your approach/method changed at all over the years?

Before I had children, I worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. A great deal of my early work was drawn with technical pens and was very detailed. Sometimes a watercolour wash was applied after the waterproof ink. I am now trying to paint more “loosely” with minimum drawing and bring lots of atmosphere into my work.

Who/what is your inspiration?

The natural world around me.

artistic

How long did it take to complete, and what materials were used?

The painting took 42 hours to paint. I treated myself to some lovely Loxley Gold Chunky stretched Artists Canvas (Medium Grain) size 16” x 12” and used my favourite Chroma’s Jo Sonja Matte Flow Acrylic. I always seal my work with Clear Glaze Medium after I have finished because I use a lot of thin glazes.

Finally, I apply three coats of Matte Varnish as this really brings out the colours as well as protecting the painting surface.

What was the hardest part of the painting to capture?

The hardest part was the frog, as I’ve never painted one before.

What was the motivation behind your winning ‘Who are you?’ painting?

Our family cat sadly died after a short illness and everyone was really missing her. A few months later, I decided it would be lovely to paint a picture of her. Instead of the usual front facing portrait, I decided to try and create a painting which captured some of her personality. Emma used to love exploring in the wild garden and fields around our home.

I placed her down our garden amongst the brambles and pretended she had just found a frog and was asking “Who are you?”

Artstyle Magazine Summer 2016

What one artists’ material could you not live without?

I could not live without paint, watercolour or acrylic.

What subjects inspire you most?

Buildings, landscape and river scenes.

What are the main challenges / advantages of being an artist?

The main challenge is finding time to paint and prepare for exhibition around my part-time administration job and family commitments.

The advantage of being an artist is it allows me to escape into another world, totally relax for a few hours and create something which will hopefully bring pleasure to others too.

Susan can be contacted by email at susannorrell@btinternet.com

‘I am now trying to paint more “loosely” and bring lots of atmosphere into my work’

‘I decided to try and create a painting which captured some of Emma’s personality’ 14

How many hours a day do you spend in your studio?

I mostly paint at the weekends and at the end of the school year. When I escape to the studio, I like to work for at least four to seven hours in good natural daylight.

www.connollyart.com

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hidden image THE

An insight from Rod Bird into the filters and techniques used for blending multiple exposures in photography

The popular belief is that a camera is a device for recording what we can see. The reality, however, is surprisingly different. The combination of our eyes and brain let us perceive a wider range of brightness than a camera can record. Automatic adjustment of our pupil size, as quickly as we can shift our gaze from one subject to another, allows us to see detail in very bright and very dark areas. Photographers have to use filters or techniques for blending multiple exposures to achieve the same thing.

But the camera can record things we can’t see, too, and the work of two talented local photographers bears this out. One of the UK’s leading landscape photographers, Paul Mitchell, often uses a pinhole camera (little more than a box with a pinprick in the end) to produce monochrome pictures which have a beautifully soft ethereal look, but which at the same time can be dark and foreboding. The very long exposures demanded by the paltry amount of light admitted though the pinhole means the passage of time is evident, turning water into mist and clouds into a soft, luminous blur.

‘

The photograph is of Man 0’War Cove in Dorset.

At the opposite end of the speed spectrum Lillo Alessi uses high speed synchronized flash units to capture extraordinary and exquisite photographs of droplets. Created by carefully dripping water, oil or milk (as here), the plume of liquid which forms immediately after the droplet hits the surface is unpredictable but beautiful - all the more so because it’s something we cannot see. Lillo has spent years perfecting his art.

The camera never lies? Maybe not, but these are just some of the ways the photographer can create an image which is both surreal and entirely natural.

‘The combination of our eyes and brain let us perceive a wider range of brightness than a camera can record’

Rod Bird Paul Mitchell’s website:

www.paulmitchellphotography.co.uk

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The power of

versatilleyty Lara Cetinich Cory interviews artist Beryl Tilley

Since the age of 4, Beryl Tilley has been drawn to art. Now 87, Beryl has enjoyed a lifetime of creative abundance. Having worked in a wide range of mediums, it’s lino cutting and prints that have been the focus of her most recent work. “There is an excitement about printing” says Beryl, “no matter how careful the planning, there is always that first glimpse as the print comes off the block.

Beryl likes working with lino because “it is very versatile, and relatively easy to work on at home with basic equipment - while allowing for a whole range of styles.”

Having lived in Maidenhead for 50 years, Beryl has developed an interest in animals and people as subjects. She finds the observation of both absorbing, “especially when they are unaware, or become aware of me or others. There is a group of 16 young heifers in a field close by , which I watch regularly. I’m intrigued by the way they react to each other.”

Beryl recently made an etching of St Peter’s Church in Furze Platt.

After a long association with the parish, she wanted to express the beauty of the new building situated alongside the Victorian one. During the construction, Beryl made a series of 10 prints of the craftsmen and builders at work.

Beryl admires the work of Keith Vaughan and Morandi and of course, our local Stanley Spencer. But it’s not only lino printing that Beryl has explored over the years. In the 60s’, Beryl went to Argentina for 2 years. She attended the Escuela de Ceramica in Mar del Plata where she learned - in Spanish - how to hand make pots. A fromer member of the spinning and weaving group in Sonning, Beryl also has a Bradford Weaving Certificate.

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