Lisa Wright 'Walking Through Beautiful'

L I S A W R I G H T

W A L K I N G T H R O U G H B E A U T I F U L

I n t r o d u c t i o n

T h e g i r l l o o k s u p a t t h e t r e e , t o t h e b i r d t h a t s i t s a m o n g s t i t s b r a n c h e s . A l t h o u g h t h e y o c c u p y t h e s a m e w o r l d t h e y s e e m s e p a r a t e d b y s p a c e a n d s p e c i e s . B u t t h e n t h e b i r d s i n g s , a n d a v i b r a t i o n s t a r t i n g w i t h i n i t s c h e s t a n d p a s s i n g a l o n g i n v i s i b l e s o u n d w a v e s a c r o s s t h e g a p , p i e r c e s t h e g i r l t o s e t o f f a c o r r e s p o n d i n g v i b r a t i o n w i t h i n h e r o w n b o d y. A c o n n e c t i o n i s m a d e , t h e g a p i s b r i d g e d , a n d i n a m o m e n t o f w o n d e r t h e g i r l e x p e r i e n c e s a s e n s e o f r e v e r i e ; a f e e l i n g o f a t - o n e n e s s w i t h t h e w h o l e w o r l d a s i t s s o l i d b o u n d a r i e s f a l l a w a y. A b a n d o f v i v i d o r a n g e l i g h t o p e n s u p b e f o r e h e r, p i e r c i n g t h e f a b r i c o f a m o n o c h r o m e r e a l i t y a n d o f f e r i n g a g l i m p s e t h r o u g h t o s o m e t h i n g o t h e r. I t u n i t e s b o t h g i r l a n d b i r d , b a t h i n g t h e m i n t h e w a r m t h o f i t s g o l d e n g l o w, a l i g h t t h a t i s b o t h n a t u r a l a n d s u p e r - n a t u r a l . I t i s t h e s e m o m e n t s o f r e v e r i e a n d w o n d e r, w h e n w e a r e c o n f r o n t e d b y s m a l l i n c i d e n t s o f b e a u t y w i t h i n t h e w o r l d , a n u n e x p e c t e d b i r d , t h e p l a y o f l i g h t t h r o u g h b r a n c h e s , o r t h e i r r e f l e c t i o n o n w a t e r, w h i c h f o r m t h e f o c u s o f L i s a Wr i g h t ’ s p a i n t i n g s a n d d r a w i n g s . T h r o u g h v i b r a n t b l o c k s o f c o l o u r a n d t h e d e f t c a l l i g r a p h y o f h e r d a n c i n g l i n e s s h e d r a w s t h e s e f l e e t i n g i n s u b s t a n t i a l s e n s a t i o n s i n t o t h e v i s i b l e w o r l d , c l o t h i n g t h e m i n h u m a n f o r m e v e n t h o u g h t h e y b r i n g a b o u t t h e d i s s o l u t i o n o f i t s s o l i d b o r d e r s . I n t h e s e m o m e n t s t h e w o r l d o p e n s u p i n t o a n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d s p a c e , a n d w e e x p e r i e n c e t h e k n o w l e d g e t h a t o u r b o d y ’ s b o u n d a r i e s a r e p o r o u s m e m b r a n e s t h a t a l l o w f o r t h e c o n s t a n t f l o w a n d e x c h a n g e o f p a r t i c l e s o f m a t t e r a n d l i g h t . B u t h o w c a n t h i s b o r d e r l e s s b o d y b e r e p r e s e n t e d ? Wr i g h t ’ s f i g u r e s s e e m t o o f f e r t h e o p p o s i t e s t a t e o f b e i n g , f i g u r e s b o u n d e d b y t h i c k o u t l i n e s t h a t s e e m t o k e e p t h e w o r l d o u t . B u t t h e s e o u t l i n e s a r e t o o t h i c k a n d t o o b o l d . R a t h e r t h a n d e f i n i n g t h e e d g e o f t h e b o d y t h e y s e e m t o o b l i t e r a t e i t , e r a s i n g i t w i t h a n i n d e t e r m i n a t e s p a c e t h a t s u g g e s t s t h e l i m i n a l , p o r o u s

t h r e s h o l d t h a t e x i s t s b e t w e e n t h e t i g h t l y p a c k e d

a t o m i c d e n s i t y o f t h e b o d y a n d t h e m o r e w i d e l y s p a c e d s t r u c t u r e o f t h e a i r t h a t e n f o l d s u s .

H e r p a i n t i n g s c a p t u r e t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f l i v i n g i n t h i s l i q u i d w o r l d . H e r f i g u r e s r a r e l y h a v e m o u t h s , f o r a s t h e s o l i d w o r l d f a l l s a w a y, w o r d s , w h i c h s o o f t e n d i v i d e a n d s e p a r a t e , f a i l . We a r e l e f t c h i l d l i k e , s e e i n g t h e w o r l d a f r e s h r a t h e r t h a n w i t h t h e w o r l d w e a r y e y e s o f a d u l t h o o d . A n d l i k e t h e n e w b o r n i n f a n c t , o u r s e n s e s a r e h e i g h t e n e d a s w e r e v e l i n t h i s w o r l d w i t h o u t b o u n d a r i e s . C o l o u r s b e c o m e m o r e v i v i d , f o r m s m o r e d y n a m i c , s o u n d s s h a r p e r, a n d t h e s m a l l e s t t h i n g b e c o m e s a m o m e n t o f r e v e l a t i o n a n d a m a z e m e n t .

E a c h o f t h e s e w o r k s i s a d i s t i n c t e n t i t y, a n o b j e c t c o m p l e t e i n i t s o w n r i g h t . B u t j u s t a s t h e i r s u b j e c t m a t t e r i s t h e b r e a k i n g d o w n o f t h e w o r l d ’ s b o u n d a r i e s , s o e a c h i n d i v i d u a l p a i n t i n g a n d d r a w i n g f o r m s p a r t o f a n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d w h o l e ; r e v e a l i n g , c e l e b r a t i n g , a n d i n v e s t i g a t i n g a d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t o f t h i s e x p e r i e n c e t o c r e a t e a s t o r y b o a r d o f w o n d e r. T h e y g i v e v i s u a l f o r m t o t h o s e m o m e n t s w h e n w e s e e m t o m e l t i n t o t h e w o r l d , c o m p l e t e l y a b s o r b e d i n t o i t s l i q u i d e m b r a c e ; t h e t i m e s w h e n o u r s e n s e s a r e h e i g h t e n e d a n d w e s e e m t o s e e w i t h o u r w h o l e b o d i e s , a n d t h e o c c a s i o n s o f i n t i m a c y w h e n w e s i t w i t h t h e o n e w e l o v e , w o r d l e s s a n d i n c o m p l e t e o n e n e s s .

T h e s e p a i n t i n g s a n d d r a w i n g s d o n o t m e r e l y i l l u s t r a t e t h e s e e x p e r i e n c e s . I n s t e a d t h e y a l l o w t h e s e u s u a l l y s u b j e c t i v e i n t e r i o r s e n s a t i o n s , w h i c h h a v e b e e n p r o v o k e d b y i n t a n g i b l e r e a l i t i t e s t o b e d r a g g e d i n t o t h e v i s i b i l i t y a n d s u b s t a n c e o f t h i s w o r l d , t h e r e t o b e r e c o g n i z e d a n d s h a r e d . Fo r l i k e t h e s o n g o f t h e b i r d , Wr i g h t ’ s c o l o u r s c r o s s t h e s p a c e t h a t d i v i d e s o n w a v e s o f i n v i s i b l e l i g h t , p i e r c i n g t h e s o l i d i t y o f o u r o w n b e i n g t o s e t u p a s y m p a t h e t i c v i b r a t i o n i n u s a s t h e y g i v e v i s u a l f o r m t o o u r o w n m o m e n t s o f r e v e r i e a n d w o n d e r.

R i c h a r d D a v e y. 2 0 1 1

4

Grace

mixed media on paper

27 x 19 cm

Study for Green Blossom Girl


27 x 19 cm

5

Study for Perfect Silence


27 x 19 cm

Camelia Girl


27 x 19 cm

6

Study for Bird Girl


27 x 19 cm

Dissolving Silence


27 x 19 cm

7

Green Glow Girl


27 x 19 cm

Luminous Blue


27 x 19 cm

Graceful Wader

charcoal on paper

152 x 122 cm

8

9

10

11

Silent Sirens

charcoal on paper

152 x 122 cm

12

Reflected Green Blossom Girl

oil on canvas

80 x 40 cm

13

Reflected Sunset Girl

oil on canvas

80 x 40 cm

14

Lost in Thought

oil on canvas

130 x 60 cm

15

First Kiss

oil on canvas

130 x 60 cm

Tell No One

oil on canvas

122 x 92 cm

16

17

18

Reflected Twins

oil on canvas

30 x 30 cm

19

Green Pool of Light

oil on canvas

30 x 30 cm

20

21

Sunset Boy 1

oil on canvas

120 x 120 cm

22

Luminous Blossom Boy

oil on canvas

50 x 40 cm

23

Green Sky Wader

oil on canvas

50 x 40 cm

Lemon Lake

oil on canvas

150 x 120 cm

24

25

26

Luminous Mist

oil on canvas

50 x 50 cm

27

Beautiful Tomorrow

oil on canvas

50 x 50 cm

Walking Through Beautiful

oil on canvas

152 x 91 cm

28

29

30

Holding Bird Song

oil on canvas

31 x 26 cm

Blue Tree Boy

oil on canvas

31 x 26 cm

31

Transparent Grasses

oil on canvas

36 x 28 cm

Melting Shadows


31 x 26 cm

32

Her Moment of Wonder

oil on canvas

150 x 120 cm

33

Her Moment of Wonder

oil on canvas

150 x 120 cm

Little Wonder

oil on canvas

60 x 30 cm

34

Red Rain Horizon

oil on canvas

130 x 120 cm

35

36

37

Bird Boy

oil on canvas

140 x 122 cm

Bird Girl

oil on canvas

204 x 150 cm

38

39

LISA WRIGHT

1965 Born, Kent1990 - 93 Studied at Royal Academy Schools, London (Post Graduate - Painting) 1984 - 87 Maidstone College of Art (First Class BA Hons) 1997 Elected member of Newlyn Society of Artists

Currently living in Cornwall and lecturing part-time at University College Falmouth

Solo Exhibitions

2011 Walking Through Beautiful, Millennium2010 Into the Light, Beardsmore Gallery, London2008 The Histories, (Paintings produced during two year residency with the Royal Shakespeare Company) - The Round House and Beardsmore Gallery, London The Royal Academy Café Gallery, London 2007 Twilight Paintings, Beardsmore Gallery, London2006 Night Paintings, Lemon Street Gallery, Cornwall2005 Beach Paintings, Beardsmore Gallery, London2003 Pool Paintings, Beardsmore Gallery, London Lemon Street Gallery, Truro, Cornwall2001 Beardsmore Gallery, London1999 Beardsmore Gallery, London1996 Thornton/Bevan Arts, London1995 Sadlers Wells Gallery, London Raw Gallery, London1994 The Royal Overseas League, London1993 Reflection of Two, Greenwich Theatre Art Gallery, London

Selected Mixed Exhibitions

1991 - 11 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London2011 Print, The Exchange, Penzance, Cornwall Mixed Winter Exhibition, Millennium2010 30th Anniversary Exhbition, Beaux Art, Bath Reality Check, Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall The Lynn Painter - Stainers Prize, London 2009 The National Open Art Competition, Pallant House, (1st Prize) The Threadneedle Art prize, London The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, London (Prize winner) Cornish Perspective, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol2008 National Open Art Competition, Chichester & London (2nd Prize) Crossing Over, Beaux Art, Bath The Threadneedle Art Prize, London2007 Art Now Cornwall, Tate St. Ives, Cornwall2006 The Sovereign European Art prize, London To the Edge, Beardsmore Gallery, London NSA Exhibition, Goldfish, Penzance, Cornwall2005 NSA Critic’s Choice (Norbert Lynton), Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall 25th Anniversary Hunting Art Prizes, London (Prize winner) 2004 Invited artist, Hunting Art Prizes, London2003 Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London (First prize) NSA Critic’s Choice (Joan Bakewell), Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall 2002 The Space Between (2 person with Mark Surridge), Merriscourt Gallery Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Art, London Ten, Beardsmore Gallery, London From the Heart, Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall2001 Lemon Street Gallery ( 2 person with Mary Mabutt), Cornwall2000 Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London (prizewinner) Cheltenham Open Drawing, Cheltenham, Humberside, Switzerland Merriscourt Gallery ( 4 person exhibition), Oxfordshire

Awards and Prizes

2009 The National Open Art Competition, First prize The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Runner-up prize 2008 The National Open Art Competition, Second prize2005 25th Anniversary Most Popular Painting Prize at Hunting Art Prizes Shortlisted for the Sovereign European Art Prize2003 Hunting Art Prizes, First prize Arts Council of England Award2000 Hunting Art Prizes, Regional Award One of four artists shortlisted for The Villiers David Award (Fine Art)1996 Young Artist Award, Marks & Spencer (NEAC)1994 The Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award1993 The Royal Overseas League Travel Scholarship WH Patterson Fine Arts Award (RA Schools) The George Isted Prize (RA schools)1992 The Royal Academy Premiums Painting Prize

Collections

GuinessUnileverBUPAZenecaThe Royal Shakespeare CompanyPrivate collections worldwide.

Publications and Reviews

2011 Walking Through Beautiful, Richard Davey, Millennium Interview film, Alban Roinard & Joseph Clarke, Millennium 2010 Into the Light, Bruce Russell, Beardsmore Gallery2009 The London Magazine, Naomi Woodis (Aug/Sept)2008 The Histories, Michael Bird, Beardsmore Gallery2007 Twilight Paintings, Anna Moszynska, Beardsmore Gallery Art Now Cornwall, Susan Daniel-McElroy Tate Publications St. Ives 1975-2005: Art Colony in Transition, Peter Davies2006 The Inaugural Sovereign Art Prize The Hunting Art Prizes, 25 years of First Prize Winners, William Packer Night Paintings, Virginia Button, LSG Gallery2005 Beach Paintings, William Packer, Beardsmore Gallery, London2003 Pool Paintings, Pip Palmer, Beardsmore Gallery Galleries Magazine, February issue, review by Pip Palmer Nicholas Usherwood, Review, Lemon Street Gallery2002 The Space Between, Merriscourt Gallery Catching The Wave, Tom Cross2001 Exhibition Catalogue, Beardsmore Gallery Newlyn Society of Artists members’ book, NSA publication1999 Catalogue, Michael Farr, Beardsmore Gallery1997 Catalogue, BUPA Arts Collection, curated by CAS1996 Royal Overseas League Catalogue1994 Working on a Large Scale, The Artist (October) Contributor, Drawing the Nude, Diana Constance, Apple Press Royal Overseas League Catalogue1993 Preview, RA Magazine Working with Traditional Drawing Media, The Artist Magazine (January) Royal Overseas League Catalogue1992 Working with Oils, The Artist magazine (June)

Published by Millennium to coincide with the exhibition ‘Walking Through Beautiful’ by Lisa Wright

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers

Printed by Active Colour (www.activecolour.co.uk)

ISBN 978-1-905772-46-9

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