ISOLDE SOMMERFELDT

 

Sunday 24th March - Sat 30th March hours:

10.30-4.30 Sunday 24th to Thursday 28th March

10-6pm Good Friday 29th March

10-4pm Saturday 30th March

 

This Exhibition showcases a selection of 60 spontaneous 1-minute life drawings that have been carefully positioned to complement and juxtapose each other. Some are the direct inspiration for the sculptures on display and they all contribute to the direction my painting has taken.

Visually capturing the human form in its endless variations has led to a simplification thus capturing an essence of the sitter. This reduction of detail has in turn influenced my sculpture and painting in that they are becoming more abstract and stripped of representation. I often draw and scribe onto the sculpture’s surface to accentuate or delineate and simplify.

In my paintings the relationship between colour and composition and the pursuance of homeostasis has become the focus. I paint as a way to visualise life’s experiences using colour and shape and composition to express the various emotions I felt during that experience. I try to refine elements and capture movement. This has led to omission and exaggeration and gradually more abstract forms.

I have always been drawn to visually interpreting the human body and landscapes. They are made up of simple components: arms, legs, torso, head and land, sky and sea. I like their predictability and familiarity as it allows me to concentrate more on the feelings evoked in me rather than be preoccupied with attention to realism.

My drawings, sculptures and paintings are interrelated and entwined and support each other’s progression.

My ongoing intention is to move away from logic and analysis towards trusting my intuition and instinct, thus allowing a more grounded and spontaneous approach to my artwork.

Curriculum Vitae

I grew up in New-Zealand and France and studied Art & Design in Paris and London where I graduated in Fine Art Conservation at Camberwell College of Art and in Theatre Design at Wimbledon College of Art.

I worked as a Set and Costume designer for 15 years, in theatre and for many award-winning film productions.

I then qualified as a teacher and worked for 10 years as a Specialist Art & Design Support Tutor at the University of the Arts, London, at Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges.

 Parallel to this working life, I studied Sculpture, Drawing and Painting and exhibited my sculptural work at the V&A, participated in group exhibitions at Morley College of Art Gallery and in various Open Studios in London.

Since living in Totnes over the past 7 years, I have been pursuing my artwork and am about to graduate. I live with my 11-year-old son and husband.

This is my 3rd Solo Exhibition at Birdwood House of my paintings, drawings and sculptures.

The "Butterwalk" Gallery on Totnes High St. held an exhibition of my paintings and drawings in 2022.

I would like to thank the Birdwood House Gallery management for its ongoing support and encouragement.

Thank you for your visit,

Isolde

My contact details are:

Isolde Sommerefeldt

postbox.isolde@hotmail.com

07973 634810

Ken Gill

 

Sunday 31st March to Saturday 6th April  ~ 10am - 4.45pm daily

 

An exhibition of work by Ken Gill

A Solo Exhibition by Julia Finzel

Julia Finzel

 

Sunday 7th April to Saturday 13th April

Sunday       1.30pm to 4.30pm

Mon to Fri   10am to 4.30pm

Saturday     10am to 4pm

 

Julia Finzel is an Artist Printmaker and Photographer based in Brixham. A recurring theme in her work are animals, the natural world and man's relationship to them. Julia makes etchings, photo-etchings and also works in oil and watercolour. She is a member of Make South West and The Double Elephant Print Workshop in Exeter. She printed at The Dartington Print Workshop for over 25 years before the closure in 2020. She has made handmade books of etchings and also published a Children’s book. Solo exhibitions include La Galleria Mnemoisine, Venice and The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.

An Artist’s Perspective

Barbara Nekola and Anne Doggett

 

Monday 15th April to Saturday 20th April  ~ 10am - 4.45pm daily

 

 Anne and Barbara both live in Devon and although they work independently of each other, they each create art that is very much from the heart.

 

 Whether their inspiration comes from the landscape and nature, or people and poetry, they both strip away realism revealing their individual response to the world around them, as seen through their eyes as artists

 

 Barbara Nekola

 As an artist, I am definitely not a slave to following my own style; instead I embrace creating art as a response to what I see and what I feel. 

 Painting intuitively (some might say taking a ‘Gung ho’ approach!) I take on each canvas as a new journey, discovering shapes, colour and narratives as I go.   Finding  inspiration in life and people around me, I abstract, distort and create images that say something to me and hopefully provoke thought and opinion in others.

 

 Anne Doggett

 If  had to sum up my artistic approach, I would say I am a reluctant introverted artist... which is hilarious when you meet me. I have tried to resist the urge to paint and question all the time what is the point of art and why do we need it in our lives? I have given up overthinking this and now realise its just an overwhelming desire to describe the world I live in through paint or any other medium I can lay my hands. No rhyme or reason, just a need to enjoy the process of painting.

Beyond The Visible

Jane Pine

 

Sunday 21st April to Saturday 27th April

Sunday 21st 1pm - 4pm

Monday 23rd to Friday 26th 10am - 4.45pm

Saturday 27th 10am - 4pm

 

Beyond the Visible is an exhibition of figurative paintings by award-winning artist Jane Pine. Her contemporary paintings empathetically depict the naked male figure. Inspired by personal experience, family relationships and historical stories, Jane interconnects narratives using precious artefacts, heartfelt letters and photographs. This serves as the inspiration for her work, bridging the past with the present through a profound journey of self- reflection and analysis. By exploring the experiences of three generations of male relatives, Jane has developed a personal understanding of the challenges surrounding men's mental health. Across different eras, she has observed the difficulties some men face in expressing their emotions and anxieties.

 

Using oil paint on canvas and board, her paintings sensitively depict emotional and psychological states through body language. The figures are detached, contained, and isolated within empty or abstract spaces. Naked, with only a piece of draped fabric offering solace, they convey a profound sense of men's intricate nature, balancing strength with internal vulnerability and fragility. Ultimately, her figurative paintings are intended to evoke an emotional response from the viewer to foster a sense of connection and empathy.

 

Jane exhibits widely in the South West, Manchester and London.

 

Awards:

2021 Society of Women Artists Rosemary & Co Award

2017 Devon Artist Network Emerging Artist Award

 

Website janepine.com

Instagram @jane_pine_artist

Facebook @janepineart

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