
Acrylic by Carly Read
Electric Clouds
Carly Read
I am an artist born and based in the South West.
During my time studying Religions at Bath Spa University I took elective modules in both painting and photography. After graduation I enrolled on a short course at Newlyn School of Art where I first met established painter Paul Wadsworth who later became my mentor and helped me to prepare for my first solo show.
In 2017 I achieved Art Council funding for my exhibition, 'Love Poems to the Sea' which was displayed at PZ gallery.
I am currently working towards my upcoming exhibition, 'The Girl who Slayed Dragons' at Walcot Chapel Bath, which is being supported by The Ganes Trust.
This show will explore the issue of violence against women and girls through a sensitive portfolio of poetry and paintings.
For me painting is fundamentally an expressive exercise which is first and foremost about depicting an emotion.
I am influenced by painters such as Lesley Birch, Ewa Gargulinska, Frank Auberbach and Paul Wadsworth who are concerned with the materiality of paint as a means for self expression.
I take much of my inspiration from the therapeutic qualities of nature, however my work isn't so much focused on a particular subject matter but rather on the potential of paint itself to reveal subconscious thoughts and feelings that would otherwise remain unknown.
My process involves responding to the world outside using my internal state as a guide, applying the tools of texture and colour to communicate the sensations I experience in my environment.
I achieve this by layering paint, wiping it away and experimenting with materials to create marks which are dynamic and revealing of my energy in the present moment.
Each painting begins in a state of chaos which is then organised until an image emerges which tells of my individual story and emotional journey. It is my hope that this will be relatable to those who view it, enabling them to connect on a deeper level with their own feelings.
Electric Clouds is an abstract expressive landscape painting inspired by the moving lights and colours of the Cornish sea.
In order to create this piece I layered paint upon paint, scraping and rubbing it away until I achieved my desired affect.
This painting aims to convey the moods and nuances of Cape Cornwall, a place of extraordinary natural beauty.
Electric Clouds comes with an invitation to the viewer encounter the Cornish Coast for themselves and to experience something of it's magic.
Acrylic on Canvas
52x42cm
Framed