Francesca de Monterey
Artwork for Francesca de Monterey
Details
How would you describe the work you do and why?
The work I am showing is part of a landscape series, expressing my love of trees, shadows and reflections found in nature. They are also pictorial examples of emotionally important times and experiences for me. Exploring the outdoors around me, both wild and domesticated is one of the places I am happiest, from an early age. I also love drawing from life models and sometimes incorporate these forms in paintings or other exploration.
For you what does being an artist mean?:
It’s about comprehension of the world as I am experiencing or remembering it. Sometimes I paint to bring to the fore ideas I am exploring; using a small group of colours in as many ways as I can, for instance. What happens if I do this? Or that? How do these colours react together? How do these colours create a mood? I like exploring questions that arise and seeing what results. Do I like it? This is my guiding principle.
Describe what you call yourself/your practice?:
I paint to communicate, to explore, to experiment and to play, to make something that never existed before. Therefore, I am an artist. So far, painting is my primary medium. The sensuality of pushing paint, swooshing and sweeping it across a surface, seeing how it flows and what marks it leaves behind are endlessly intriguing to me.
Your practice & activities include e.g workshops, teaching:
At present I do not want to teach, very much feeling that I am still learning and exploring materials. I am also jealous with my time.
I have engaged with various teachers and participate in a few workshops with a few mentors, but not too many, as the questions in my mind occupy me pretty fully at the moment .
Now retired from employment, I paint almost every day or play in sketchbooks, to try out ideas and materials. It’s what I love to do.
CV & Education, relevant & leading to your artistic practice:
In the before time, I received a Diploma in Art and Design, particularly sculpture. Then had a harem scarum life; across Canada, US, Europe and the UK. Making things, scratching a living , sometimes with artistic endeavours, other times not. My husband and son provided a lovely interlude of domestic activity including weird cooking, gardening and making things with children. Now I am free to follow my nudges and inklings and questions. And I do.
Exhibitions in the last 3 years:
None.
Your gallery outlets/stockists:
None