Solo Exhibition - ‘Woodland Symphony’ - London, UK

My latest show opened on November 12th, 2024 at Studio Ashby’s South Kensington studio. This show has been a collaborative effort between my London gallery The Finch Project and Sister by Studio Ashby. Together we have conceived and staged an exhibition consisting of fourteen new works that I created over the summer and fall of this year. Open hours and contact information for Studio Ashby can be found HERE. A PDF catalogue can be viewed HERE.

The paintings represent a diversity of styles and techniques, but are all representative of the wilderness and landscapes of Vancouver Island in British Columbia where I live and work. There is a wildness to the landscapes in BC that defies the relentless pace and intensity of modern life. Once I am immersed into the wild places that are such an integral part of my life here I often feel as if time has stopped and all of the noise of daily life has simply fallen away. I am left with the quiet of the woods, until I turn my attention to the flora and fauna around me, then I am suddenly overwhelmed by the energy and sounds of nature.

HEAD FULL OF STORM CLOUDS - oil on canvas - 112cm x 119cm - 2024 (shown at Studio Ashby, London UK)

I am often asked by curators how to define my style, as it contains elements of abstraction, impressionism, traditional landscape, modernism and bridges the history of Canadian landscape painting with a respect for European and Scandinavian influences. All I can respond with is that it is not really an intentional path that I have followed. I am greatly inspired by those periods and schools of art but I don’t feel that trying to reign myself into one specific category will help my continued growth as an artist. For me, the work in the studio happens in a very responsive way to the events and stimulus that surround my life. I try to make each studio session a learning opportunity and strive to be as authentic and honest as I can be in my work. The outcome of each painting is a genuine surprise to me. I think that happens because I put trust in the process of painting honestly. When I do that, the story of each work comes through in a unique way.

CELLO STRINGS - oil on linen - 115cm x 107cm - 2024

I am constantly inspired by colour and unusual combinations that I come across in my travels and day to day life. These are collected and stored in my memory to be recalled for inspiration when I am needing a place to begin a new piece.

For me working with pigments is the ‘craft’ component of painting. I love the alchemy of colour-mixing and arranging them throughout the composition. I don’t consciously choose a palette or a selection of colours before I begin a painting, nor do I ever use a pre-mixed colour straight from the tube, so I suppose you could say that tertiary colours are my primary repetitive choices. And I definitely don’t have favourites as I like to create new ones constantly.

I usually begin each painting by mixing a singular colour intuitively and then approach the canvas with a calligraphic flourish. This forms the foundations or structures within the surface that inspire my next steps. As I progress with the work, so do the colour choices and arrangements.

FLOATING ON AIR - oil on canvas - 132.5cm x 158cm - 2024

Thank you to all the collectors, curators and designers who have visited and supported this show. Please feel free to contact me directly with your comments or questions and I look forward to meeting you in person at future shows.

Anne Griffiths
November 2024

Photographs at Studio Ashby by Milo Jack Paris Hutchings. Other photos by Anne Griffiths.