A talented artist, well known for her joyful watercolours of animals, is sharing how she experiments and explores to discover new ideas.
Liz Chaderton said her new exhibition of about 20 small pictures at Dinton Pastures, Hurst, is “.. almost like having a sketchbook on the wall.”
She added: “They’re all small experiments, demonstrations and explorations of new ideas in small paintings.
“I then go on to develop them into something bigger.”
Those having coffee and a bite to eat in the The Coffee House cafe’s garden room are enjoying a feast for their eyes too, served up by Liz who lives in Hurst.
She used a wide range of media in the work exhibited. There’s watercolour on canvas for her pictures of nests and cows.
Other works use mixed layers of media including collage, stencils, paint and stamping.
She pays tribute to Dutch artist Van Gogh, creating the look of his rich, textured oil paint by using watercolours on highly textured paper for her version of his Starry Night.
Her take on his Almond Blossoms is based on the apple blossom outside her studio.
“I love how they turned out,” she said.
She’s used a little known ink resist technique to produce highly effective pictures of shells and also a crab and a dolphin. Ink, watercolour and gold create those most glamorous of birds, pheasants.
Liz said she creates art to remind us of the wonder in the world. She talks optimistically of the quiet resilience of nature, the deep connection we share with animals, and the endless possibilities for renewal. She invites us to see the world not as it is, but as it could be.
The exhibition is at Dinton until July 31.
Her work is certainly a moment of joy in a busy, overwhelming world. She shares her enthusiasm at her teaching workshops and has written five best selling art books.