Wallace and Thomas in Whites
BRONZE Sculptor Gilly Thomas and painter Mary Wallace will hold a joint exhibition of their work in Clayton Whites Hotel from October 19 to November 4.
Gilly has always lived in the countryside of Ireland and the UK. As a horse owner, she finds their character, shape and grace simply remarkable. Having studied sculpture later in life, she now produces bronze sculptures for those with a similar interest to herself: field sports and the country life. The fluid movement of an animal is what inspires her. The aim is to try to simplify the shape to give less detail but to maintain and enhance the recognition of pure beauty.
As her collection grew, Gilly felt the need to design a bespoke studio and gallery to showcase her creations. An empty stable was converted into a luxury gallery next to her studio.
Mary Wallace has a unique and individual approach to art; finding beauty in imperfection, and the extraordinary in the everyday, complexity in simple things. Her creative style is immediate, vibrant and contemporary.
Inspiration comes from ordinary things; a simple tea bowl, a flower, a hen, a fish, to create exquisite tea bowls with golden cracks, majestic moon jars with golden seams, exotic fruit, flamboyant hens, cockerels and other creatures.
She loves using ancient art medium like wax encaustic, egg tempera, and gold. Sumptuous pigments suspended in beeswax paired with pure gold makes for an opulent visual experience.
‘Working with gold leaf is such a delicate affair. It requires patience and practice to place that filigree just as you want it. Sometimes I feel it has a mind of its own as the gentlest breath can cause it to flicker and fly away!’
Intrigued by Japanese culture, Mary’s work is influenced by concepts like wabisabi, seeing beauty in imperfection, and kintsugi, the repair of broken porcelain using gold. Her paintings of chawan and moon-jars evoke the idea that although broken and mended, the intrinsic beauty remains, the flaw is enhanced and given respect, its preciousness restored.
Her new body of work is called ‘Sakura’ meaning cherry blossom.