by Lucy Atherton
I long for a place that I can not reach.
I love to use materials loosely and intuitively to see the worlds that are then revealed to me. Then I work tighter to put in detail. It’s a nice way to work because you can create according to mood. The worlds come from memories, imagination and dreams.
I think making art is therapeutic and I believe the state of mind emerges subtly in each image or in layers of an image, resulting in a very personal, sometimes emotional piece.
I put animals in my pictures because they make me feel safe. They have almost turned into a kind of code - a llama being the most comforting of all.
I am concerned with environmental issues and I explore the meaning of landscape and our relation to nature in my practice. I feel like humans rarely spend the time really looking at our natural surroundings (especially in the city) and I like the idea that people have to really look at my work to notice the subtleties. I use a combination of pencil, paint/ink and collage. Paint and ink because I like the freedom, pencil because I like the fineness and collage because I get to recycle old envelopes which can have intricate patterns on I feel should be used some how. I stick this down with magic tape, creating even more delicate lines and textures.
What I really aim for is to create atmosphere. To transport the viewer to another place, it may feel safe or be an unsettling one. As a child, my favourite book illustrations were those with great detail and atmosphere. Far from reality but completely believable.Lucy Atherton. Artists C.V
Training:
BA Hons. Fine art, London Guildhall University, 2000
Practical illustration, London college of printing, 2005
M.A Communication art and design, Royal College of Art, 2009
Exhibitions:
‘Works on paper’, RK Burt gallery, London, 2004
‘Another best friend somehow’, Attic gallery, San Francisco, 2005
Solo show, Frameworks gallery, London, 2007
Oberon book illustration awards, R.C.A, 2008
‘Small show, huge talent’, Sothebys Kiddell gallery 2009
‘DRAW’ R.C.A 2010
The Deserning Eye. Mall galleries 2011