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Exhibitions

Chantal Ashwell

Natural Elements

“I am motivated by a never-ending fascination in natural elements; water, wood and air. When I started painting around 13 years ago I pledged to only do it honestly - that is to say without painting to anyone else’s expectations - and I’m determined not to lose sight of my artistic integrity.

Over the years I have observed, wondered, tried, experimented – periodically in workshops or groups - always committed to ‘keeping my windows open’ so that the imagination can get on with its work. This approach has benefits and drawbacks; inevitably it sometimes means risking non-acceptance, which is of course stimulating! Ultimately, being attracted to a picture is a subjective reaction; when viewers connect with a piece, they experience a sensory and emotional connection which may be outside analysis.

Working in an abstract style allows joyful freedom of expression, necessarily liberating thoughts as part of the life journey. As a highly personalised portfolio of techniques develops, it enables the discovery and exploration of new possibilities to achieve fresh interpretation; colour and form, rhythm and repetition are important to me. I paint what the eye doesn’t immediately see; my mind searches beyond the obviously physical representation of a subject with a creative take on lateral thinking, and that is really how I paint.

It’s my heartfelt belief that the imagination truly has no boundaries and that depth of emotion revealed through art may be a natural outcome. Each painting is a creative marker in time and in presence; an embodiment of thought and feeling.

I’ve been lucky enough to exhibit locally, nationally and internationally and work is hanging in homes in the UK, Europe, South Africa and the U.S.A.”

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