Artist Residency in Greece: Harmony with Nature
Inspiring over 40 works on paper and 3 works on canvas, my artist residency provided rich and fertile inspiration for my inner artist.
In September I completed a 3 week artist residency at the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts (SkopArts) in Skopelos, part of the the Sporades archipelego of 24 islands in north eastern Greece.
It’s a dream come true to have been selected for this residency, which I first came across four years ago. At the time, I was pregnant with our son, so I shelved the idea until I chanced across it late last year and decided to apply. I was thrilled my application was approved, and I feel very fortunate that I was the only artist to actually attend in 2020, albeit at rescheduled dates due to Covid19. I asked the director why I had not been turned away when everyone else had; she said she could see from our communication that I was very committed and that I would be self-reliant.
Certainly self-motivation and self-discipline are important qualities for an artist in residence as there is usually no direction or input available from other artists or teachers. Art residencies vary but typically they provide dedicated time and space for an artist to make art away from domestic concerns and all the other responsibilities of ‘normal’ life. As a working mother of a 3 year old, this was a gift in itself. At SkopArts, studio space is provided with a small kitchen, and because no one else was there, I had the place to myself so I was able to spread out, working both upstairs in the enclosed studio and downstairs in the open air workspace.
The views were breathtaking, if not a little distracting! At SkopArts, work tables and some materials are provided. The downstairs studio is open to the elements - a welcome relief in the heat.
Capturing the feeling of a Greek Island
I was spellbound by the ocean views for the first week - in fact for the whole time I was there. Blue and turquoise features heavily in my early sketches as you might expect, while shapes in the landscape and on the Aegean sea itself became another source of inspiration.
Mark-making details, colour inspiration - and a praying mantis!
And then there were the sunsets. I made it a point to start my day by witnessing the sunrise and to drive across the island to catch the sunset as well - easy to do on a small island if you keep an eye on the time (I was annoyed with myself when I didn’t and missed it). Book-ending the day in this way helped any feelings of loneliness to evaporate and I started to feel more and more connected with nature as my body attuned to a circadian rhythm. In my paintings, vibrant orange and coral hues appeared - aided by a found pot of fluorescent pink in the studio!
Clockwise from top left: Hot Pink Landscape, September Sunrise at Velanio beach (photograph), Sunset from the quay, and Study for an Aerial Landscape.
Work bench
Intention & Approach
My intention was to capture the feeling of being on a Greek island and to express it visually in a unique and creative way attempt to express the essence of place through colour and form.
In my residency application, I said that I wanted to make abstract landscapes of the land, sea and coastline while in Skopelos to “express in paint the essential truth of the landscape”. Initially, I thought the best way to do this would be to work outside - en plein air - on the edge of the coastline as I do sometimes in Cornwall, using sand and sea water and found objects to fully immerse myself in the direct experience of painting in nature.
However, it soon became apparent that the high temperatures were going to make it impossible to paint outside with acrylics, which being water-based, dry very quickly. Oil paints would have been equally as difficult given the need for fast-evaporating spirits for cleaning brushes etc.
I decided instead to focus on taking photographs to record the landscape, colour influences and life on the island and to create paintings back in the studio from these aide-memoires. In fact, this is how I paint in Cornwall as I find that I can recall the feeling of a place I have visited days, even months or years earlier. These historical experiences and sensations are then expressed through colour and gesture in the present moment — though how exactly this happens, I cannot explain.
Fragments of photographs and paintings showing the influence of colour and landscape.
Colour inspiration for monotypes on sugar paper, 6 x 6 in / 15 x 15 cm
High winds created patterns in the water and the shifting sands at the headlands became a point of interest, which I documented. The winding roads with switch-backs or hair-pin bends also started appearing in my work.
I also used a concertina sketchbook to record a lot of my ideas and inspirations. It folds out so you can see multiple pages at once, and allows you to extend ideas across several pages. I loved adding to this book, and it became a great companion to keep me from being bored or embarrassed when sitting alone in a taverna at a socially-distanced table for one!
Natural Beauty
Skopelos is extremely verdant - it holds the title as the greenest of all the Greek islands - and certainly of all the Sporades islands, which also includes Skiathos (with an airport), and the lesser developed island of Alonissos, plus 20 smaller uninhabited islands. Skyros, far away on a different ferry route, is also a member.
The island is perhaps best known as the location of several scenes in the Mama Mia films. Retracing the steps of Merryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan wasn't high on my agenda — though I did visit the church (see slideshow above) — as seeking out beautiful natural coves and hidden coastal spots for my early morning swims was a higher priority.
There are several natural springs on the island where fresh drinking water pours out of the rock. I returned several times to these places - one at a secluded beach and another in the mountaings - to drink from the springs.
Lady of the Source, ink, acrylic and graphite on 360gsm paper
These experiences of being alone in raw natural beauty gave me the feeling of tranquility, freedom and oneness - and a depth of connection to nature that feels imprinted in my cells. Harmony with nature became a conscious goal as I explored places to swim and hike around the island.
Shapes
Naturally occurring shapes were an inspiration, and point of departure for paintings: in particular a wide V shape, which has figured in my work since 2010 when when I was living and working in California.
Then, it seemed to signify a vessel or womb - the feminine principle - alongside a vertical line signifying a masculine principle, with both placed within the landscape as referenced by a ‘horizon’ line. See below for three California paintings in the Union series of 2009-2010 (from left to right: Be The LIght, Union IV and Gratitude).
In Skopelos, I found it on arriving at the sunrise viewing spot at Velanio beach, near Stafylos, where I was staying.
The swoosh of the ferry wake
Another shape of interest is a squashed “C”, which I began noticing in the wake of the ferry as it curves around the headland en route to and from the island of Alonnisos. Setting my watch for 12.35pm, I positioned myself on the balcony to watch the drama unfold as the passage of the Alonissos and Skopelos ferries seemed - if only just for a moment - destined to collide.
This ‘swoosh’ gesture is a familiar one and has figured in my painting for some time, but here it is in nature, somehow giving it a deeper resonance.
This led to experimenting with collage to create similar squashed “C” shapes to signify the swirl of the ferry wake, a sandy beach or perhaps simply the coastline or a bend in the road. The simplification of colour and form is very appealing and something I’d like to continue exploring.
Findings
I made over 80 works on paper and canvas during my time on Skopelos. Some pieces can stand alone as finished paintings, while others can be considered studies for further exploration or as impetus for larger works once back in the studio. I have uncovered an exciting new direction in my work and an ability to attune to another place and express it visually in a unique and creative way.
What else did I learn from being in Skopelos? Above all, the importance of being immersed in nature. It is this nature connection that seems the source of my painting. Creativity stems from the same place. In my meditations - when I’m still and sitting on a rock with no one else around - I can feel the voice of Skopelos talking to me. When I have paper and pen to hand, there’s an automatic writing that comes through:
“The paintings come from the land you are on. You are connecting to the energetic grid of the island. Its unique imprint and patterns flow through your brush and pen. You feel the land. Now you know how to do this you can do it in Cornwall, or wherever you are.”
That, for me, is harmony with nature.
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I am grateful to all those who made it possible for me to attend as an artist in residence, and in particular, Jill Somer, Director of the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts.
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Please click here to see the artwork I made during this artist residency.
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