LARGE-SCALE abstract expressionist artist Michelle Swann shows her work at the spacious Triton Gallery at Sledmere House, this week – her first exhibition in Yorkshire.
Michelle’s artwork came to the public’s attention while she was studying at Newcastle University where some of her work was auctioned at a charity event held by the Prince’s Trust.
She has exhibited in Australia, Newcastle and London and new horizons will open for her in September when she is due to attend Sotheby’s Institute of Fine Art.
In addition to oil paint, Michelle, who was born in Scarborough, experiments with charcoal, oil pastel/sticks, spray paint, chalk, acrylic paint and enamel.
This exhibition is the first to bring her work back to her home ground of Yorkshire and, given her passion for large-scale abstract expressionism, it requires a large space such as the Triton Gallery to be shown off.
Most of the work shown here – oil paintings, drawings and sketch-books – have all been produced from 2006- 2011 and her paintings are derived from memories she had during her time travelling and changing surroundings.
“I do not set out to reduce them to an abstract form,” she said.
“However, central to all my works is the skilful manipulation of my material. In addition to oil paint, I use charcoal, oil pastel/sticks, spray paint, chalk, acrylic and enamel.
Charcoal and pastels are used to scratch into the wet paint to extend the expressive potential of the paint.
As my work has developed, marks are rarely produced purely by the brushstroke. In some passages, layers have been stripped back, or applied, with a dirty t-shirt, revealing previous layers which could be interpreted as a previous memory of that experience.
“My work is primarily about the formalities of surface texture, colour and space.”
The exhibition runs from Sunday until Friday, July 6. Opening times are daily, 11am-4pm.
The gallery is closed on Monday.
Entry is free.
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