Original artwork description:

In September 2019 the Vega Baga DANA where I lived in Spain caused a catastrophic flood that was declared a national disaster. Human lives, livestock, pets, businesses, homes and gardens were lost, some literally washed away. Sadly very similar to what Valencia is experiencing now but on a smaller scale.

My Spanish studio sat in the corner of our garden and was flooded by around a metre and a half of filthy, muddy, polluted water destroying years of work, precious photographs and possessions, my portfolios, journals and sketchbooks, my degree work and certificate, letters from my deceased mother, hand-made cards and gifts from my children, and so much more.

I was absolutely devastated and heartbroken. In addition, I lost my music recording set up, my art materials and equipment, books and resources but I also lost the will to create, I lost me!

For a year or more just the smell in the studio reminded me of the flood and thinking about all that I had lost literally made my heart pound and my head spin.

For another year I would pop in and out of the studio starting bits of work, gessoing over work that was damaged in the flood but still useable (most of everything went in a skip). But feelings would start to come to the surface that I just couldn't deal with so I would close the door and walk away.

But on April 10th 2022 I made a breakthrough. I couldn’t smell the DANA anymore. One of the benefits of a hot country and UV is that it does tend to clean and sanitize in an environmentally friendly way! I would still go to empty boxes thinking that something would still be there but that's OK. I just needed to keep remembering what had gone and, if I needed it, to buy it again. The important thing is that I made a piece of work.

I then relocated back to the UK and in January 2023 became a resident artist at The Artery Studios in Worcester where I began to make work again. A CALM SPACE is one of the works I made for my Innerscapes Exhibition. Over the past two years, through this body of work, I have I allowed myself to intuitively explore my internal personal geography and make visual representations. As an artist this is my buried treasure for me to excavate, examine and record. It has been my healing journey.

My work is a reflection of my interior world and how I experience existence. They are memories, experiences, sounds and smells, feelings and emotions. They are loss, love, regret, joy and hope.

I hope this piece will find an appreciative home where it can be enjoyed and loved.

Materials used:

GESSO, ACRYLIC

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