THE STORIES BEHIND THE ARTWORK
THE STORIES BEHIND THE ARTWORK
Sun Series radiates warmth, nostalgia, and resilience, capturing my treasured memories of growing up by the coast and the healing power of sunlight. Each piece is infused with bronze, gold, and copper tones that echo the sun’s energy and embody a sense of joy and renewal.
Sun-Blast August 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 60x90cm
This piece is a tribute to my childhood memories of growing up by the coast. Dad was into extreme sports including windsurfing. He would often take (drag) us to the beach - regardless of the English weather.
I have a vivid memory from when I was about 7. Dad wanted me to sit on his board while he sailed. My excitement turned to terror as we sailed through a massive shoal of jellyfish. They constantly washed over the board — and my legs! I remember screaming but not being able to make my dad understand why due to the wind. I was fine but I never went out with him again.
My experiences with menopause makes me realise how lucky I am to be alive, healthy, and able to capture these emotions with my art. There have been some dark times in my menopause journey which has renewed my appreciation for my health and ability to visit new places.
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Missing the Pier August 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 60x90cm
I was missing the pier from my recent holiday and from my childhood. I grew up near Southend on Sea and spent many happy hours by the sea with my windsurfer father. The lower part of the work represents the wooden boards of the pier. Piers are significant to me as Southend has the longest pleasure pier in the world which as a child was a great place to visit. I played my first ever game of bowling on Southend Pier and scored 90! I remember the feeling of sadness when we saw the news that the pier had been damaged in the late 1990s.
Much later - in 2016 - I walked the pier with my now husband. I had not long before broken my 5th metatarsal (classic footballer injury) falling down some broken steps in Toronto, Canada where I was living at the time. The walk down the pier was the first time I had been on a proper walk for months. I was elated to regain my independence.
The pink and black 'clouds' represent abandoned inflatables we leave behind as tourists.
Sun-Love May 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 50x70cm
Sun-Love is the sister painting to Sun-Joy. Like Sun-Joy, Sun-Love is acrylic on canvas in portrait. The main colours are bronze, gold and white. The composition was designed to complement Sun-Joy and is also reminiscent of the sun with a sense of joy.
Sun-Love was created on the few sunny days in East Anglia in late spring 2024. It was created to be hung in a bright garden office to complement the shiny walnut floor. Wendy was thinking about enjoying the sunshine while painting and how happy she was to be painting for her loved husband who requested the work. Some of the painting was done in the garden ‘en plain air’.
Viewing the paining close up allows us to see under layers of many colours, including pink and purple. Sun-Love consists of two main areas compared to three in Sun-Joy. The upper section of Sun-Love has white highlights and the lower half is dominated by black low lights.
Sun-Love appears random when viewed close up. The uniform nature of Sun-Love only becomes apparent when viewed from afar. Sun-Love is more uniform in design than Sun-Joy. The curves are more evenly spaced which highlights the non-uniform and uneven spacing of Sun-Joy. The two paintings are designed to be viewed in the same space.
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Sun-Joy May 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 50x70cm
Sun-joy is acrylic on canvas in portrait. The main colours are bronze, gold and silver. The composition is reminiscent of the sun and holds a sense of joy. Sun-joy was created on the few sunny days in East Anglia in late spring 2024. It was created to be hung in a bright garden office to complement the shiny walnut floor.
Wendy was thinking about enjoying the sunshine while painting and how happy she was to be painting for her loved husband who requested the work. Some of the painting was done in the garden ‘en plain air’.
A close up view of the centre shows the variety of colours in this small area. Many shades of pink are visible here. These pink shades are hard to distinguish when viewing the painting as a whole. The main colours are gold, silver and copper with each colour dominant in different areas of the canvas. The colours radiate in a spiral from the centre imitating the structure of the sun.
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Pink and Blue Waves May 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 50x70cm
The work is alternatively known as 'Bubble gum waves' as named by the artist's son. Wendy chose the name of the work before starting. The work evolved as the paint was applied. The layers began with a pastel blue and pink texture like wood chip. Then the waves of colours were applied across the canvas with mainly pink on the left and blue on the right. Looking closely will show that there are in fact pink and blue shades on both sides. Pearlescent highlights represent waves breaking as they reach the beach. Viewed close up, the pink section shows the use of neon pink paint near the top left. This is one of Wendy's signature colours.
After the initial layer, Wendy applied a slightly darker layer including some black areas. This added depth and contrast to the colours. The final layer involved adding highlights using a base of iridescent white mixed with many other colours.
