Landscape inspires this expressive West artist
An artist who paints in the great outdoors and conveys landscape in a semi-abstract style is the winner of the Brownston Gallery prize
THE 2020 winner of The Brownston Gallery Award has been named as Sam Boughton, an expressive painter who creates semiabstract landscape paintings inspired by her surroundings in the South West.
Usually there is a formal prize giving ceremony held at Exeter Castle to present the prize of £250, but due to coronavirus restrictrions this won’t be happening. However, Sam will get the opportunity to display her work at the prestigious SWAC Spring Exhibition 2021 at The Brownston Gallery in March.
Sam says she finds her inspiration for her dramatic landscapes. Sketching outside and painting at her studio in Teignmouth, lockdown saw her returning to the same areas again and again watching the vista changing with the weather and the season.
She said: “I am an expressive painter who creates semi-abstract landscape paintings inspired by my surroundings here in the South West.
“I am fascinated by the way light, weather and seasons constantly change our environment. When I feel a strong connection with a particular place, I make regular visits to experience it at different times. This was particularly so during lock down and the start of the Covid restrictions. The more I studied the same place, the more I became compelled to draw and make marks in different ways. This collection of work is a response to those restrictions and the result of being pushed to see with fresh eyes a place that is so familiar.
“My process begins outdoors with location studies using large format sketch books. I work fast and fearlessly in inks and pastels to capture the movement and energy of the particular moment and my emotional reaction to it. I also use side-notes and collect found objects scattered around me, which later become inspiration for my colour palette
“Back in the studio, I use my studies as a springboard for more developed pieces. Working primarily on
‘My true passion lies in landscape drawing... there’s an intense satisfaction when I draw on location’
the floor, I like to move freely around the canvas or board adding multiple layers of rich colour to reproduce what I saw and felt in the landscape. Using a combination of acrylic, emulsion and pastels I physically pour, drip and splash the paint adding expressive marks which bring contrast, energy and depth to the final piece.
“I live in Teignmouth and am married to Jon who is Dive Supervisor. We’ve moved around a lot as we like to discover new places, but we always gravitated back to Devon. We finally settled in Teignmouth two years ago and it’s been a great step. The location is perfect for my work as I’m right by the River Teign, five minutes from the coast path and also very close to Ideford Common and Haldon.
“So there’s a fantastic mix of environments right here on my doorstep.
“I studied a BA in Illustration at UWE Bristol, then later completed an MA in Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art graduating with a Distinction. I went on to work as a picture book illustrator/author for Tate, Oxford University Press, Penguin Random House and Templar Books.
My illustration agent is Claire Cartey at HolroydeCartey and she manages all my picture book contracts. As an illustrator my work is targeted to a young audience and involves lots of character design and storyboarding. I have created some award winning books, but this is only part of my creative life.
“My true passion lies in landscape drawing. There is an intense satisfaction I experience when I draw on location. This deep inner need to respond visually to my environment never fades.
“As I take my daily walks with Monty my Hungarian Viszla, I connect to the landscape. I focus on feeling the wind, seeing how it moves things, listening to the sea or birds.
“I pay specific attention to the way horizon lines interact with foreground structures such as gates, trees or boats. I also look to compare scale and break down the landscape into abstracted forms.
“Once a place excites me I’ll stop and start to draw/paint. I use black ink as it’s responsive and expressive and I work quickly so that I don’t have time to over analyse the scene, but instead respond intuitively, capturing the elements. These sketchbook studies are the starting point for collages or paintings once back in my studio. I work in a mixture of materials such as emulsion for its flat matt quality and collage paper for texture.”
Sam Boughton’s work will form part of The South West Academy Exhibition 2021 at the Brownston Gallery, Modbury from March 19– April 17.
SAM BOUGHTON, ARTIST