As today’s Oxfordshire Artweeks virtual art trail takes visitors on a celebration of colour with a Rainbow of Hope, we suggest a visit to the on-line gallery of artist Emma Davis. https://www.artweeks.org/galleries/2020/emma-davis-oas
Emma lives in an archetypal Victorian terrace in East Oxford, packed with original features. And not only that, there’s art history on its very walls. ‘When we moved in we stripped the wallpaper of and found paintings and murals on the plaster beneath – scenes of Oxford filled one bedroom, for example. And then, when we stripped some deteriorating wooden cladding off my two-storey building in the garden which is also Victorian we uncovered the most amazing colourful stained glass windows beneath – a series of six which light up the space magically. We couldn’t believe it – it felt like finding treasure! They’re inspirational!’
Emma now uses the upper storey of this building as her studio, painting alongside these extraordinary windows which cast vibrant hues into the room adding to the airy atmosphere of her working space and the strong choices of her palette. Each of her colourful abstracts catch your eye and hold your gaze. They’ve striking and bold, punchy statement pieces rich with reds and golden cheer.
‘My paintings are purely about the colour’ says Emma. ‘I find the best paintings come from playing with and exploring the use of colour. Putting unexpected colours against each other so there’s a contrast, a discordance even, can have spectacular results because they can bring each other to life.’
Alongside these abstracts in Emma’s online Artweeks gallery and a virtual gallery tour of Colour into Abstraction at Oxford’s Old Fire Station, she is also showcasing charming and fun still life collages, reminders of the colours to be found in life, even in lockdown.
For more, visit: Website https://www.artweeks.org/festival/theme/celebrating-colour