About Me
All about Gill and her lifelong enthusiasm for art
All about Gill and her lifelong enthusiasm for art
Let me introduce myself
My journey as an artist and inspiration has always been about creating rich textures with layers of colour and I now enjoy spending most days in the studio. My subject matter includes figurative and landscape pieces where I enjoy capturing the light and the atmosphere. Through my painting I aim to express something of the sensory experience of being out in the landscape surrounded by nature and love to pay attention to the sounds and the movements. The work is both an emotional response and an attempt to convey a sense of wonder, intrigue and exploration. This could be standing on the cliffs by the sea or on a regular walk with the dog on the edge of the city where I live, finding glimpses of wildness where nature isn’t tamed. There may be a narrative in the piece, a connection to a memory, or a feeling of nostalgia that engages on an emotional level using colour and exploring textures and shapes.
I work in acrylics, exploring details and surfaces. My process begins playfully, laying down colours and textures on to which the composition develops. Each piece found here in the portfolio evolves as paint is layered, sanded and glazed.
I have taught art for many years and still very much love being involved in encouraging others to explore their creativity. This now happens in workshops and art classes.
How it all came to be…
Surface depth and subtle layering of colour, mark-making and texture are endlessly fascinating to me. This has always been of interest and one which I initially explored using fibres and textile processes gaining a degree in textiles/embroidery. This building up of a surface is what I love the most. Making marks now with paint as the medium, the process of creating a piece commences with a loose and playful approach. The initial idea directs the process but will unfold through several layers and many changes until the final story and composition arrives. Sometimes the piece begins with some words for the title, another time it is in responding to an idea that the painting evolves and takes on a life of its own.
© Emily Wong 2019