Let the Light in artist statement
This piece was made as a response to a challenge to create work that in some way referenced the theme ‘Doors, windows and portals’.
For me, a stained glass window is a promise, a glimpse, a foretaste of something better, brighter, more profoundly rich and saturated… it enables a warming and reassuring touch from the light beyond. It is the promise of a portal - beautiful and intensely alive, vibrating with hope and welcome, a promise of something we don’t yet see, but which we know to be home. It is the promise of something even brighter which, if not moderated, would blind us. We would not stand in its presence.
Let the Light in #2 artist statement
Look at me! I’m all about colour! With my design pared down to a minimum, and my colours singing their heads off and clamouring for your attention, can you take your eyes off me?
I love stained glass.
Old glass - glass that has discolouration and signs of age.
New glass - glass that is bright, shiny and clear. Glass that let's light in, but lets you see out. Glass that scatters its colours, indiscriminately, profligately, like confetti, on any nearby surface.
In this work, I wanted to create the clean clear feel of new glass, mixed with a feeling of age. This work was probably inspired by Gerhard Richter’s iconoclastic window in Cologne Cathedral.
The aim of my piece - simply to be enjoyed!
Let the Light in #3 artist statement
One of my passions is European Medieval architecture. Cathedrals in particular. This is partly because I love their windows - windows full of coloured glass.
Light has filtered through our cathedral windows for centuries - illuminating space, but also the hearts of countless souls. Many cathedral windows depict stories from the Bible. But, for me, the non figurative designs speak more powerfully - of joy, of hope, of eternity…
Stained glass windows are usually rich and intense, so I choose saturated colours. And I develop a layout that is suggestive of leaded lights.
Being human, our brains constantly seek out pattern - to understand, to pigeon-hole, to be able to explain away. When I stop trying to work it out, to simply let myself experience what is before me, I think it is then that I begin to glimpse the depths within me. I find new light.
Monochrome? Oh really? artist statement
How does someone like me, who will, in a single piece of work, happily use every colour she can lay hands on, respond to a challenge like “Monochrome”? Well, I will go for contrast - for maximum impact from a relatively small amount of contrast material. I will see what I can do simply with colour - no texture, no contrast in size or shape of the pieces...
I have started with 169 squares, 164 of them are in beautiful, calming and recessive blues, while just 5 of them are fiery, dominant yellows. The yellow shouts and will not accept a minor role! It screams, “Look at me!”. The blues seem happy with this arrangement. They are brought alive by just that small amount of contrasting colour.
This is one of my favourite techniques.