Stella Downing PS

Statement

Living in Worcestershire, I am lucky to be surrounded by beautiful countryside which I find constantly inspirational. I try to capture something of the atmosphere of a place and my response to it in my work. I am fascinated by the gradual changes in nature and quality of light and changing colours when working outside. It is easy to lose all sense of time and get totally absorbed in what I am looking at. Through my work I try to convey my feelings of connection with nature and my love for it and a desire for the viewer to connect emotionally with my work.

Methodology

I always begin by sketching from life. If I am working in the landscape, I begin by walking, and looking and making quick sketches and notes in my sketchbook. I spend a lot of time staring and thinking! Often my attention is grabbed by the unexpected flash of sunlight or colour. Working ‘en plein air’ nearly always creates my initial response and I go out as often as I can to draw and paint. I find that the act of drawing and looking means that the place is captured in my memory and I can look back at sketchbooks and be taken straight back to these places. Sometimes a painting is finished in one sitting using soft pastels and charcoal on Pastel mat or watercolour paper.

At other times these initial studies provide inspiration for larger work, back in my studio, which usually involve working in pastels and charcoal on mount board prepared with inks, acrylic and gesso. This provides the opportunity for more gestural mark making. These larger scale studies are made up of a number of layers created over a period of time and I often pin my work up in places where I can stare at it over the next few weeks to see how it might be improved, so I am often working on a number of pieces at a time.

Bio

I was born in Worcestershire and brought up in the countryside in the village of Chaddesley Corbett. We were a creative family. My Polish father was always making things, growing things in the garden, spinning and knitting wool that had been donated to us to make colourful thick blankets for us all and even sewing our clothes when we were children. My mother also loved gardening and walking and poetry.

I initially trained as a State Registered Nurse, then after our family of four children were born, there was a change of direction and I did BA Hons in Fine Art followed by a PGCE and then taught A levels at our local Sixth Form College for 18 years which I thoroughly enjoyed.

After this I have been a carer for both my parents and also have the opportunity to focus more on my own art work.