To Autumn
12th December 21 - 9th January 22
Highgate Contemporary Art is delighted to present To Autumn, a solo exhibition featuring a new collection of paintings by abstract landscape artist Bethany Holmes.
To Autumn comprises of fifteen paintings, varying in size, on canvas, paper and board. It is the second solo exhibition that Bethany has had at the gallery and it will take place both online and in the studio gallery.
Bethany explains this collection as a progression from her previous.
“My last collection, Ever Changing was a very challenging body of work. I spent months re-working nearly every piece. Suffering with a lack of confidence and a head full of anxiety, but all of that turmoil, and the inner wrestling eventually led to these pieces. This collection is the result of my decision, and need, to throw all that was positive, the joy, the pleasure, the contentment, at the canvas and to see what emerged. To paint without the pressure or the anxiety; just freedom”.
The challenges behind creating the Ever Changing collection inspired this one and Bethany’s aim to paint with ‘freedom’ has certainly translated to canvas.
The work in this collection feels looser, her choice of palette bold, unencumbered, inspired by the colours of autumn that envelop the countryside surrounding her studio; deep purples and oranges coupled with playful notes of cool sharp yellows, and acidic greens.
“I am fortunate to have a studio surrounded by beautiful countryside. Getting out into nature, out into the fresh air is always my escape and a huge source of inspiration.
Here I observe the complex relationship between colour and the landscape. Between my emotions and the landscape. I feel a deep connection going into the countryside and just sitting, being alone and listening. It gives me strength and energy, and the canvases that result are my ways of communicating these feelings, these reflections and states of being”.
Whether using a rich bright palette or more muted pastel tones Bethany’s painterly and keen sense of colour is displayed in assertive brush strokes which, despite their strength and energy, are still able to capture subtlety and nuance. This body of work feels warm, confidant and vibrantly indulgent.
VIDEO
Bethany Holmes talks about her new body of work.
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Bethany’s paintings are an extension of the senses. She looks to nature & the surrounding countryside for inspiration, to create a relationship between landscape and canvas.
The use of texture, colour and mark explore how Bethany see’s the British landscape. Her paintings grow organically, just like the landscape that surrounds us. Bethany wants the viewer to get lost in the marks and composition of her work, to see something new every time the piece is studied.
Colour is Bethany's passion and her palettes over time have changed and developed. Her work has a constant energy and a beautiful rhythm to it, inspired by the changing seasons. If lacking inspiration, the fields & beautiful vast skies that surround the studio give constant inspiration
Bethany has gallery representation throughout the UK, and has work in many private collections in Norway, Hong Kong & the US.
'My work and the way I paint is my way of responding to what is going on around us. I seek comfort in painting, to get what is in my head, out and onto canvas. The landscape that surrounds us is a constant fascination to me. Through a process of building layers up, I approach the painting intuitively. With loose intention I start to build up layers, responding to each mark. I believe that every painting should be an experiment and an experience. Every painting should push my boundaries and force myself out of my comfort zone. Only then will it be the best it can possibly be'