Inter/face: an exhibition of paintings exploring how artists with disabilities interface with the world around them
Saturday 11 February 2017 – Sunday 26 February 2017
Steven Boulding, Stephen McCarthy, Linda Taylor and Sarah Weston supported by professional artist Phyllis McDowell
Steven Boulding has chosen to produce paintings/pastels in response to music from a particular time period of his life. The music itself evokes memories of a life before his disability and can transport him emotionally to a different time and place. Unlike synaesthesia, Boulding does not see colours when he hears sounds but translates the sound into a movement. Sometimes he listens to the same track repeatedly and other times he plays different tracks but usually from the same genre.
Stephen McCarthy has chosen to follow the path of Neolithic ancestors at Stonehenge – one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monuments in Europe. Mccarthy visited the site on a three week road trip, making numerous on-location sketches and photographs. Drawing upon the memory of this trip and the work created on site he has produced a series of images that reflect his personal experience of the monument and place.
Linda Taylor’s intent is to depict a human subject; portraiture. Her intent is not to create a likeness, but an exploration of character. Taylor’s self-inflicted manifesto is to work without the restraints of traditional rules of painting and she aims is to work freely within the canvas perimeter. Taylor is not afraid of colour or of breaking the rules.
Sarah Weston has used mixed media to explore the coastline. Her work is highly tactile and throughout her employment of different media she is consistent in her use of colours. Weston has worked conscientiously to detail on each piece. She has produced a body of work which reflects the beauty and experience of the world she sees before her.At a certain point, her portraiture seems to be less of a genre and more of a exciting constellation of suggested marks.
Our guest artist is Phyllis McDowell: pioneering artist and community activist. We have had the privilege at ARRCC of McDowell supporting us with life drawing workshops, advice for our artists and the opportunity for our members to sit whilst having their portrait painted. Phyllis sadly passed away early 2017 so this will be a fitting tribute to her wonderful legacy.
