Penny Glidewell – Southview Cottage Garden Studio

The paintings and collages on show reflect the colours, textures and patterns of land, sky and water. Walking in the countryside near to my home and observing change in the familiar landscape day by day and from one  season to another my eye is drawn to the patchwork of cultivated fields, grassland, chalk downland, woodland, still and fast flowing rivers that make up the Sussex landscape.

Despite the seeming tranquility, I am constantly reminded of the fragility of the eco structure and of the impact of human intervention or lack of it. Heavy rains cause increasing erosion leading to frequent flooding and silting up of the river. In recent years for much of the year it has been either low and sluggish or a seething torrent, with little median. Drought causes animals and plant life to struggle for survival. Previously cultivated fields and grassland with wildflowers in the spring have been left to become overgrown with weeds and brambles producing a scene of desolation by autumn.

These concerns also feed into work based upon my travels – most recently to the Galapagos Islands. These pristine islands are one of the most protected areas remaining on earth with species of flora and fauna not found elsewhere. The frequent volcanic activity over the centuries and erosion from the sea has resulted in intricate rock patterns. In trying to capture these textures as well as the intense light and colour of the equatorial region, it seemed appropriate to re-cycle old collagraph prints and combine the collage with freely painted areas of watercolour.