'Conversations' 18th April - 9th May 2020

Creating dialogues through sculpture and painting

SHARON GRIFFIN

The basis of my work is the human form, with references to Greek mythology, theatre, feminism and folklore.

I am drawn to forests, woodlands, humans and animals. I hunt, gather and forage in the woodland at the back of my house for found objects and twisted branches, smooth stones, oxides, coal, metals, plants and the odd skull or bone. Every item has a history and a story to tell. I create dialogues as I bring the pieces together to one complete piece.

ZOË TAYLOR

Much of my work is fuelled by long car journeys from the Midlands through to west Wales to visit parents.

The journey through that wonderful landscape along the old road, much of which was an original Drovers road, skirting the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons and then travelling through the lush fields towards the sea. I am mindful of the subtle changes in the earth, the colours of the soils from Herefordshire to West Wales.

The faun takes on the power of the animals and creatures found in the woodland so he can express himself.

Perhaps whilst in disguise, we can be our truer selves.

Sharon Griffin
Little Faun
Stoneware
H 20cm

My natural predisposition to muster soft neutrals has to be challenged occasionally and I actually love bright work but find it almost impossible to do. One of my earthy landscapes came dressed for a party and there was no other way of describing it so ‘Party Dress’ it was.

Zoë Taylor
Party Dress
Mixed media on aluminium panel
70 x 70cm

Zoë Taylor

Sometimes, and only sometimes, a little bit of magic happens and a work will almost paint itself. This was one of those happy moments when, without overthinking or overpainting, a darling little image appeared.

A bright and fresh painting made with sweeping arm movements feeling the sky grow out of the paint.

Zoë Taylor
Escalate
Mixed media on aluminium panel
40 x 40cm

Sometimes colours are just lovely together and here there is a calming richness.

Loosely based on a line drawing in pencil. I really enjoyed all the oil sketches I made last year as they are so immediate.

Zoë Taylor
Treeline
Oil sketch on paper
19.5 x 28cm

The sky has very subtle layers quietly revealing themselves and then the soft ground colour breaches to reveal a richer surface beneath. Lost ground from a previous time.

Zoë Taylor
My Forgetting
Mixed media on aluminium panel
50 x 70cm

VIEW ZOË TAYLOR'S WORK

Sharon Griffin

Investigating Feminist folklore helps to tell Herstory rather than History. The person who wrote History is the person who won the war. Herstory is about the empowerment of women and taking strength from the land and from her family.

She is stripped bare but takes on the camouflage of the woods. Water, earth, rock gives power to her to tell her story.

Sharon Griffin
Telling her Story
Stoneware, slips, engobes, glaze, sgraffito
H22cm x D12cm x W24cm

Goddess of the Trees was formed from roaming the beloved woodland next to the Wrekin. I breathe in the smells of the bark, hear the rustling of the leaves made by the wind and for a moment I am part of the woods.

Sharon Griffin
Goddess of the Trees and Forests
Stoneware and found branches
H 65cm (not including branches)

Whilst creating this body of work, I studied tales of the supernatural Owl Women; stories of dryads, taking on the power of the trees and shapeshifting.

Sharon Griffin
Wind
Stoneware with found branches
H 30cm

VIEW SHARON GRIFFIN'S WORK