About
Off the Wall is delighted once again to dedicate its next show to International Women's Day (IWD), which is formally on March 8th.
A wide range of art and sculptures will be on show by women, but for everyone's tastes.
IWD provides a common day for globally recognising and applauding women's achievements as well as for observing and highlighting gender inequalities and issues. Women do not often have the platform to really display their talents as this exhibition will do.
Kathy Prest
After studying ballet and contemporary dance, Kathy became increasingly interested in the movement of the human body, and became fascinated with anatomy. This inspired her to create sculptures using the enigmatic body of a dancer as it becomes simplified when caught in a moment of time, even when twisted in a complex shape it still expresses the joy in the spirit and beauty of the human figure.
Kathy believes there is no better way to train the sculptor's skills than traditional classical study of the nude model. With this essential knowledge in hand, the figure can then be confidently created and abstracted to an individual style. Passion for the human form provides inspiration that is insatiable, an endless source of pleasure and respect for such a wonderful creation. Through her sculptures she tries to reach the minds and hearts of fellow human beings by freezing moments and transforming them into sensual and tactile sculptures.
Mo Lancaster
Mo Lancaster is a Somerset born artist who specialises in printmaking. Mo trained at the former Somerset College of Art, gaining a National Diploma in Design in 1960-65 followed by an Art Teacher's Diploma, University of Wales in 1966.
As a teacher for over 40 years, Mo has taught art in schools and colleges and regularly runs printmaking workshops and classes in drawing and painting. Mo uses a range of materials, including watercolours, oil, acrylic and ceramic, but particularly enjoys the spontaneity of mono print which suits her figure drawing style.
Kathryn Edwards
Kathryn was born in Tredegar, in a mining community in the Sirhowy valley region of South Wales. The area is a contrast of dramatic mountain; moor land and forestry landscapes overlaid with the manmade but equally dramatic structures of the bygone industrial age of iron and coal mining, quarrying and steel production. The industrial frenzy that the area experienced for decades was very much in decline during her early years and she believes that growing up surrounded by amazing countryside punctuated by the aftermath of heavy industry enhanced her appreciation of how nature ultimately absorbs the scars, presenting a new, more diverse and unique beauty.
Her favourite medium for painting is oil on canvas using brush and pallet knife techniques. The challenge of capturing the subject's contrasts of differing texture and form and how changing light impacts on the image to create the illusion of depth and dimension continues to fascinate me with each new project.
Whilst she would say her style of painting is quite traditional, she appreciates many modern more abstract works by artists such as Swansea based Katie Allen's dreamlike forests and gardens and American artist, Gregory Lang and his colourful and majestic cityscapes.
As Kathryn grows in skill and confidence, she hopes to experiment with more abstract works which would allow for a freer painting style and more textured work.
Corrie Chiswell
Corrie Chiswell is a very popular artist at Off the Wall. Her art embraces realism, but this direct representation of nature is only a means to an end. Her art does not simply depict but endeavours to evoke through a visual language those things we do not see. Her perception of reality can be compared to a crime scene where clues are left to indicate what is happening.
In much of her work she uses symbolism that embraces a dual meaning and frequently an opposing one. This visual ambiguity contributes to the dreamlike quality of the work, and acknowledges the canvas as a portal to another world where there is freedom to create or manipulate anything. Through this symbolism she invites the viewer to decipher an underlying cryptic narrative that explores her interaction with the world.
Although the work is often intense and introspective it still challenges the viewer to explore and recognise feelings of common experience.
Corrie Chiswell was born in Edinburgh, in 1963. Her family is originally from the Western Isles but she spent most of her early years in the Borders and Central Highlands. She studied art at Fettes College where she won âThe Andrew Campell Memorial Prize for Art', and was taught by the Scottish painter John Brown RSA, before going up to Oxford. There she completed a degree in fine art, specializing in painting, at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art. On completion of her degree in 1985 she traveled extensively, living and working from her studios in Australia and America until 1995 when she returned to the United Kingdom. In both countries she painted murals in public and private buildings, while creating smaller works from her studios. She moved to Wales in 1996 and now works from her studio in Cardiff.
