I have recently started a new collection of paintings inspired by photos I have taken of beautiful spots on local walks. During lockdown, I haven't been able to go many places or experience new things, so I have really struggled for motivation since completing "Dark Night", my previous collection, but one thing I have been able to do, is really make the most of being in nature and enjoying the beautiful woodlands and fields that are around me.
Themes & Meanings:
The title "Footprints" came to me, soon after completing the first painting for this collection. I called that painting "A Path Well-Trodden", because I was thinking about how many times I had walked that exact path, and how my own two feet had a part in shaping that pathway into what it is now.
We often go for a walk in nature, or take some time out in the countryside because of the effect that it has on us, but we don't often consider the opposite - the effect we have on nature, and the marks we leave behind. Each footprint quite literally shaping the ground beneath our feet.
This collection is an appreciation of all the beautiful areas that are around me, but also like a diary of where I've been, and where I've left my mark as a living being in this current age. It's a collection that has brought awareness to my own impact on this earth, no matter how small.
Imagery:
It's amazing to look at some of these really tall, large trees, and to know that they have been there for much, much longer than you. It's funny to imagine trees having eyes, to think of all the generations they would have seen pass through, and all the steady changes that happen decade by decade, year by year, week by week around them.
When choosing the imagery for this collection, I wanted to paint things that created a sense of mystery, and a sense of timelessness. Things that put life back into perspective, but also take your mind out of this present reality for a moment.
If you wanted a pretty woodland scene on your wall, you could just print of a photograph, but the point of original art is to bring something else, which is why it's really important for me to not just choose something beautiful to paint, but to create an atmosphere and a feeling that goes with it.
I have a very strong connection to all of these pictures, because these are places that I go to contemplate, and to feel, and so when I paint them, I'm painting my experience here.
I'm also planning to paint scenes from all seasons, capturing the cold mist of winter, the warm oranges of autumn, the vibrant pastels of spring and the green summer. I also want to capture all weather, from stormy skies, to pink sunsets, to torrential rain. I walk every single day, no matter the weather, no matter the day, and I love the variety that nature brings, so variety has to come through in the artwork.
Release dates & More information:
Usually with my collections, I paint them all and then release them together on a specified date, but for this collection I will be releasing them individually as I create them. This means that as soon as I post them on my social media, they are available to purchase straight away, and will be listed on my website under the shop title "Footprints" The collection.
You can click here to see what's available now:
I understand the importance of seeing work in person, so I am hoping to arrange an exhibition once the lockdown restrictions are eased, but in the meantime, you can book a time to view the art in person out on my driveway if you would like to. Just send an email to sophiebridgland@gmail.com or message me via my website or social media.
If you have any other questions about this collection, please leave a comment below!
Thanks for reading,
- Sophie