Wolfingrid – Gwenaela Quillere

After a "30 year sabbatical", I am once again creating Artwork. It is good to be back ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While I use a variety of materials and processes, in each project my methodology is consistent. The different projects are linked by recurring formal concerns and through their subject matter. Each project consists of multiple works, often in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes. ------------------------------------------------------------------- THE CAMOUFLAGE PROJECT : -------------------------------- The “Common species” series sets out to portray the human race as a neatly fitting component of nature. It does this in the only way that it can: in a humorous, contrived, and dysfunctional way. Glimpses of men and women’s bodies are posing as fruit, attempting to blend into the beautiful imagery of an illustrated catalogue of common European trees. Are they trying to be flora or birds ? Are they masquerading as magical creatures in the woodland ? In the green “Camouflage” piece, peeping eyes reveal the presence of predators and prey concealed in foliage. This playful piece questions whether our sophisticated social behaviour is “closer to nature” than bodies are.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE "100 MAGPIES" PROJECT --------------------------------- Perhaps I was motivated by the fragility and uncertainty during lockdown: Every night for 100 days, I drew magpies. I decided to draw magpies to sow seeds of good luck. There is a rhyme most people know: it says seeing 2 magpies brings you luck. Of all the reasons to paint, I chose this one. All my work features 2 magpies ......sometimes 100...... There are people I want to surround with “2 for joy” pairs of magpies. People I want surrounded with good outcome, good fortune, good turns, good tidings. 2 for joy !? Have 100 !! Or Have it squared, cubed, rolling out endlessly like a fractal .... Have as many as there are and then some .... If you expect there will be good turns, and if you expect you will see these good turns and take them, you will. There is an important kind of freedom to be found from the many pointless, unrealistic fears in life. Picasso once said: “Inspiration exists but it has to find you working” For me the same applies to good outcome ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE DREAM CATCHERS ---------------------------------- The Dream catcher series forms a book: "REST PREPARE BLOOM REPEAT" The book and the images in the book are about our relationship to Nature. Our connection to Nature as "something greater than ourselves", something that we hold in the highest regard, has become invisible. We need it to make it visible .... Some paintings ( canvases ) are being created from the Dream Catchers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overall, I am interested in the way we perceive ourselves as “human”, particularly in relation to Nature, and in the ways in which we construct ourselves as individuals. This line of thought crosses paths with my other main area of interest: the place belief holds in our lives. In my Artwork, I sometimes explore the dreams and mythologies we grow up with. I sometimes reference fairy tales and irrational fears, and of course, the place belief holds in our lives has much to do with why I am creating work based on the popular “Magpie” nursery rhymes.