Barbara Nicholls | Crosswinds

About

Crosswinds,  a solo exhibition of new paintings by British contemporary artist Barbara Nicholls,  from 12 May – 10 June 2023.

Barbara Nicholls’ monumental watercolour works emerge by manipulating the behaviour of pigment in ever-increasing quantities of water and wind. Founded on technical experimentation in painting and experiences in nature, Nicholls' immersive paintings recall ancient geology, organic forms, and the movement of water and sediment, using pools of vibrant colour.

Nicholls’ practice is inspired by time spent experiencing nature in remote places, particularly walking in the Peak District near to her studio, observing the elements of the landscape and nature in the English countryside. Nicholls’ paintings echo elemental movements of the landscape, the shapes and tones observed in the earth, water, and weather.

In Crosswinds, Nicholls considers the changing direction of winds in nature and in landscape.

Nicholls comments: “In most of the works in the exhibition there is paint entering from all sides, from the four edges and these are like winds blowing in from different directions and creating turbulence in the central area of the works. I am also referring to the local winds, the breezes that I aimed across the works using fans in the studio when I made the work.”

Wind and the elements are considered more generally within the paintings; Rebel winds made by buildings or land masses breaking up laminar winds and causing turbulence, erosion of rocks over thousands of years by winds, or trees set in a particular direction by the prevailing wind. She is also thinking metaphorically about how the word crosswinds implies something we have to deal with which is unusual; Something coming from the side that we have to make adjustments for in order to carry on in our planned direction. 

Barbara Nicholls studied at Goldsmiths College for a BA Fine Art (1982-86), University of East London MFA (1996-98) and Practice Based Doctorate in Fine Art (2000-06).