The Art of Lockdown

One of the inspiring experiences of lockdown has been the artistic endeavours of friends, family and colleagues, and it is with great pleasure that I have ‘curated’ (how posh) an exhibition of their works completed during the last 12 months. Some of the contributors have been creating artwork for many years, some only started in lockdown. All have been working within the confines of a pandemic. Many have sold their art at open studio or similar events, but the majority would probably classify themselves as producing art for the sheer pleasure of creativity and, for some, for the adventure of exploring their own artistry as a response to Covid-19.

The experience of curating turned out to be terrifying. I looked up the definition of the expression ‘to curate’ something, to see what it was that I was trying to do.  Words such as select, organise, look after, present, interpret and display came up again and again. 

Selection has been easy and involved emails to friends and colleagues who I knew were painters or artists.  My brief asked for ‘something that you might have created over the last year which has some relationship to landscape, environment or society, however tenuous’.  Thus the process of selection of the potential artists was down to me. The selection of the artworks, was (largely) down to the artists. I have accepted everything which was sent me.  I was aware that some I contacted had been involved in portraiture but, knowing my background, they felt that the link to ‘landscape and society’ was just too tenuous; thankfully I managed to convince one artist that portraits are important too.

It was the requirement to organize, look after, present, interpret, and display which was so stressful.  My own creative experience relates to working with actual, live landscapes. This can be onerous: the responsibility of creation must be taken seriously, and comes with responsibility to client, user and environment. But the curating or management of that landscape is also, in my experience, a joy which brings immense satisfaction. So why the tears and fears connected to this blog’s endeavours? One dictionary defintion continued: ‘typically using professional or expert knowledge’. Ah. So obvious. I am trained to handle landscapes which are alive in a biological sense and are physically anchored into our external environment (I can even handle the occasional house plant) but am a total amateur in curating artistic representations of and refections on ‘landscapes, environment and society’.

So, forgive me if I have made a poor job of exhibiting my friends’ and colleagues’ work. Not only am I inexperienced in presenting and displaying artistic output, but am constrained by the technlogy of a blog platform, on which my grip is tenuous to say the least. If admiration and enthusiasm were enough, then this would be a superb ‘exhibition’, but I know that in the curating sense this is not true! Please enjoy as best you can. My contibutors deserve better but I also know that, despite my ineptitude, their art will speak out for them.

Elizabeth Ellison

Regular walks started last year, usually walking up and over/under the A264, and the railway line, towards the farmland, and Rusper. I took photographs, (too cold to sit about) and resolved to paint small and fast, so no dithering or overworking. Found it helped to prepare sketches, mix all the paint first, and allow myself no more than 40 mins. Nothing too challenging or long term, but as they say, you have to put the paint on!!

Oil paint on board, palette knife

Size 24x18cms

Prepared throughout 2020

March

April

May

June

July

August

Carole

Instagram: @calligraphysurrey

I belong to a calligraphy group and last year the theme for our summer project was ‘CELEBRATE' and the format was a folded book made of a single sheet of paper. I wanted to use the letters of the word ‘celebrate’ but also wanted to specify what I wanted to celebrate. As lockdown happened about the time I started thinking about the project, I chose to celebrate trees, as they became my close companions during lockdown walks.

The large colourful letters spell tree names starting with the letters C E L E B R A T E and although I tried to use mainly native trees, a eucalyptus managed to sneak in.

The tree names were written first with a chisel brush and gouache paint. Then I folded the sheet of paper into its book shape and on each page I carefully wrote a different tree quote in pencil.

Gwilym Owen

I signed up to a lockdown art class, to do something, to motivate myself to attempt some art, and maybe to learn some new skills. I painted from photographs.

Fly Agaric Toadstool

Watercolour on paper

Starling

Water colour on paper

Stanage Edge, Peak Distict

Pen and ink on paper

Maureen Ford

Instagram: @maureen_ford22

Redhill redevelopment during lockdown. Charcoal drawing on paper.

The building site was a mass of linear, vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines and structures with contrasting tones. Having sketched the demolition of the Co Op store decades ago I couldn't resist taking multiple photos and sketching this view.

The painted version is executed using acrylic paint on paper emphasising the contrast of cold greys with the warm colours of the plant.

These are two of the portraits made during lockdown when Clive Myrie and Lesley Garrett engaged in fascinating conversations while sitting for Skye’s ‘Portrait Artist of the Week’ on Sunday lunchtimes. The portraits were fascinating, challenging and demonstrated a wealth of talent by participating artists who shared their work online. portrait artist of the week skye arts

Lesley Garrett, Pastel pencil on paper

[A Yorkshire phenomenon, ed]

Clive Myrie, watercolour on paper

Born on the ‘other side’ of the Pennines [ed]

Walking the footpaths and fields during lockdown and watching the seasonal changes to the fields brings a stability to the everchanging scenario of lockdown.

The sheep are moved to different fields when the foraging becomes scarce. Each sheep has a character of its own, be it curiosity or resignation.

Sheep in a turnip field.

Pastel pencil on paper.

Locked in or locked out?!

Reminders of a bright hot summer

Acrylic paint on paper

Zosia Mellor

I retired from practice as a Chartered landscape architect and have thoroughly enjoyed having time for pastimes. I really enjoy painting …! Before lockdown we travelled a great deal, however last year I did enjoy exploring different corners of England.

Landscape:

Darenth Valley in Kent

Fresh Food in Lockdown

Blackheath Farmers Market

: the market ran throughout both lockdowns and it was a wonderful outlet on a Sunday morning. I was struck by the vibrancy of the colours of this vegetable stall and the jumble of shapes and textures.

This painting is acrylic on board measuring 30 x 20 cms.

Field Mushrooms

: during lockdown walks for exercise I collected these field mushrooms. I enjoy painting seasonal subjects and lockdown has definitely heightened my awareness of the changing seasons.

I used acrylic paint on acid free card measuring 30 x 20 cms.

Rob Thompson

I wasn’t sure if I should include more of Rob’s work (see Blog 18 Cynefin), not because I was worried about over exposure (!) but because in my view he sells enough of his work to make him a professional. Rob thinks this is very funny. So Terroir has compromised and we are pleased to include some paintings he produced to support Snowdonia Donkeys, a charity dedicated to promoting human and equine health and well-being, through working and walking with donkeys. https://www.snowdoniadonkeys.com The two images below were created for, and donated to, a secret post card raffle. If you were generous enough to donate to the raffle and received either of the donkeys shown below, please let us know!

Before you go… thank you so much to all our contributors. When we started working on this blog post, Terroir had no idea just how rewarding, stimulating and throughly enjoyable this curating business was going to be. I hope you - our readers - are able to enjoy this lockdown art as much as we have.

… don’t forget to visit the gift shop! Most of the art shown above is for sale and, if you like their style, the artists also have a store of other treasures. If you are interested, contact Terroir at blogterroir.net@gmail.com and we will pass your details on to the relevant artist or atists. This aspect of producing art was never mentioned in the definitions of curating, and Terroir certainly didn’t embark on this project with this in mind. But, if any of our artists are starving in a draughty garret, we are very pleased to help!!