LARA BOWEN

Still life and sunlight

A tangle of blooms, a snippet of blue sky, a shard of strong sunlight and the short-lived relationship between a favourite mug and a collection of spring blooms. Plants, flowers and organic forms are Lara's language but as a metaphor for the passing of time and as an investigation of personal experiences and memory.

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"2020 was a period of input for me, not output.  I like to paint uplifting still lives, things that bring joy and colour, but I simply didn't have those things in me. Painting flowers felt wrong.  Returning to my studio in spring 2021 felt like I was starting again. I had missed paint and what working with it feels like. I had a clear out, moved things around. When I put out my paints I chose new colours and brushes. Things I was saving for 'special'.  I played different music. I danced. I played.​"

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These new paintings have a different energy. They are bolder, more abstract and happier. They're about being in the moment and trying to capture joy.

"It makes my eyes so happy every time I walk into the room. I love it! Probably my fave purchase of 2021"

Sally M