Artist Statement
Gillian Lee Smith is an experienced artist and
workshop leader creating work that is imbued with atmosphere, storytelling and
emotion. Layers of narrative, layers of paint, memories and dreams inspired by
history and tales of times gone by and women walking the coast searching for long lost souls, characters who
throughout their life carry with them a memory or a reminder of times gone by.
The marionette and doll-like figures hint at those emotions and characteristics
that we attempt to hide-away when we are wearing a mask and protecting our
emotions but the melancholic nature and the objects we carry portray that which
we cannot help but reveal. Decadence and decay, nature and dreams, atmospheric
places and the contrasts and complexities of life; all are endlessly captivating
and thought provoking.
In 2012 I was a featured artist on BBC2’s Show me the Monet. Making it through the judging to the final exhibition I sold my work at the auction.
Graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in Performance Costume in 2005, Gillian Lee Smith has since been working as a mixed media artist as well as teaching workshops with community groups, more recently coordinating a project involving reminiscence work with older people. This has been a huge source of inspiration to her latest artwork and themes of memories, dreams and childhood.
What inspires you
in your art?
Storytelling,
history, folk tales and in particular tales of communities of women bound together by
uncertain times and stories that move the soul. Fishing and mining communities,
places with great atmosphere and history and those who live and work there.
What medium do you
work in?
After working an a
broad range of mediums in the last few years (from sculpture to textiles) I
have really been focusing on my paintings and 2-dimensional work lately,
acrylics and oils and every kind of drawing media imaginable particularly
charcoal and pastels.
What are you
looking forward to at Make it Up North?
Meeting previous
and new people who are interested in my work – we have the best conversations!
Also it is always great to meet other exhibitors and chat with like minded people.
I am so excited about this new event.
What work are you
showing at the event?
I will be showing
a few of my most recent paintings and a preview of my new collection called ‘We
all cast shadows’ – a body of work that I am creating for my solo exhibition
next year at The Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge. I will also have a selection of small portraits
which proved so popular at The Art Market in June.
Have you any
exciting news to share?
A few bits!! I
have just announced my first week long painting workshop which will take place
in the North East of Scotland by the sea next October 2014 – people have been
requesting this from me for a while and as a consequence all the places sold
out overnight with folks coming from as far as the US. It sold out so quickly
that I am just looking at dates for the next one for Spring 2015.
I am also getting
ready to launch my first painting and drawing e-course which will begin next
April 2014 and of course there is the ongoing work for the solo exhibition next
year – ‘We all cast shadows’
If you could sit
in a room with any artist….who would it be and what would you ask them?
It is impossible
to choose just one but if I could choose three they would be Joan Eardley,
Kathe Kollwitz and Peter Howsen – there is just such poignancy and atmosphere
in all their works that I just know I could listen to them for hours talking
about their work.
Name your favourite
quote/or philosophy to life?
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes all around you
because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.
Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl
If money was no
object what piece of work would you create?
Ultimately my goal
is to one day be able to work on much larger paintings than I am able to do now
due to the size of my studio – I look at studios of amazing artists with vast
spaces, high ceilings and beautiful light and dream of being based in a
somewhere like that where I would be able to create an unlimited amount and size
of work without worrying about space or storage.
Gillian Lee Smith will be showing her work at Make it Up North Event at The Guildhall in York on the 5th and 6th of October.
She will be doing a talk at Make it Up North called 'We all cast Shadows' Book here - http://gillianleesmithartisttalk-eorg.eventbrite.co.uk/
View Gillian's Artist Profile here on our website http://artmarkets.co.uk/artist/profile/89/gillian-lee-smith
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