One of the things that I always love about visiting the Mediterranean is the abundance of light, it’s intensity and it’s effects on the retina and the mind. In the eastern end of Med, it seems to be the most magical. On my most recent trip to Cyprus, I closed my eyes and I saw a fantastic riot of beautiful colours: pastel purples and violets mixing with soft pastel greens, with a flash of red and the burnt imprint of different objects and all mixed up right there in my eyes. I’ve often wanted to use this as a stepping off point to make abstract paintings – quite literally to paint what I saw. The freedom of expression, the uncoupling, the detachment – a new place to explore – that isn’t even really a place, a sort of personal utopia really.
Above: ‘Sol power’ (AR, 2017)
However, from a sculptors point of view the light makes me aware of its strong presence and makes me think of how to use it. I also think of it’s effect on the land, as it heats it up and changes the landscape colours. It both gives life and also takes it. It also makes me think of the work of James Turrell. Unfortunately in Britain, we don’t get this kind of light and what light we do get is not as intense and it is less frequent and less predictable. The light on the Scottish Western Isles is however supposed to be on par with anything that the Med can offer. It has certainly attracted many artists to work with it, most famously The Scottish Colourists and may be worth exploring.
Above: ‘A dead Sunflower in a sunny place’ (AR, 2017)
There was a time and a place to do something and unfortunately I didn’t have any art making materials with me on this trip, so I didn’t capture this little personal Utopia. However there was an artist in the show that I was there curating (For the Love of Lempa), who I think best represents this personal Utopia. When I look at Wendy Smith’s paintings, I see this uncoupling, the detachment and the amazing colours. I would therefore like to share her work with you and also what I believe is her own personal little Utopia.
Above: Wendy Smith – Spring in Lempa 1, 2017
Above: Wendy Smith – Spring in Lempa 2, 2017
Above: Wendy Smith – Spring in Lempa 3, 2017