Shona Barr RSW

My work explores a preoccupation with nature, ranging from the wild beauty of coastal landscapes to the exuberant abundance of garden flowers. The floral paintings have a magnified quality which envelopes the viewer. In contrast, the landscapes have become increasingly panoramic. Empty of signs of human habitation, they invite contemplation rather than involvement.

Initially, I paint water-based studies directly from the subject matter en plein air. The aim is to absorb atmosphere, watch how changing light alters colours and mood and capture all this essential information on paper. When I return to the studio, there is a significant stage of selection and editing. Frequently, a finished work may draw on just a small part of its original sketch.

I investigate the interplay between abstraction and representation. I play with the boundaries where completely abstract marks come together as a recognisable image. Luscious paint textures and colours are emphasised but not invented. They are inherent in the actual landscape or flora. Hence, the painting that emerges articulates a hidden presence rather than that which stands out as most obvious. It is a synthesis of the original view: a distillation of a sense of place.