Joy Grindrod

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Rowan

Oil and Mixed Media 

This painting will be exhibited at The Yurt in the grounds of Rydal hall. Click here

I was born in Ulverston, and work from my studio in Coniston in the heart of the Lake District. I graduated in 1998 from the University of Central Lancashire gaining a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. During this period I explored printmaking and experimental photography, quickly developing a desire to explore texture and expression within these medias. I’ve been very fortunate to spend most of my life living where I can see rough hillside and rock, a “back garden” that has become a key influence for my work, and has inspired me to investigate the use of paint, mixed media and textures to translate the fundamental nature of the place.

My work has evolved from an ability to sketch quickly in rapidly changing weather conditions that allow the eye to become selective: seeing the key elements that drew me to that particular moment, the essence of the place. I enjoy experiencing conditions that create those magical contrasts; watery greys become a wealth of colour when lit by a shaft of sunlight on the side of a hill or highlights the line of a crag.

I never set out with a definite plan. Like a constantly changing landscape, my work makes use of many layers, encouraging the viewer to see something new each time it is viewed. I work quickly and intuitively from sketches, some of which are from backpacking and sea-kayaking trips. A simplicity that is part of day-to-day living on these trips clears the mind, and the land and light become easier to see and the environment becomes closer. This raw experience forms an important part in the development of my work.