Runs from 13th to 19th July 2022 (10.00am-4.00pm daily)
Following her highly successful exhibition in the town last summer, July sees a brand-new art exhibition in Whitstable from celebrated Kent artist and Thanet-based community activist, Amanda Jane Godley.
Commenting on her forthcoming exhibition, Amanda said:
“Since working in my new studio at home this last year I have produced my current exhibition ‘Inside Out’. My work has processed thoughts and feelings to do with my mental health and reflects on my varying moods. From feelings of peace, tranquillity, and joy to that of anger, jealously and resentment – all transient and impermanent – the images all capture moments in time that are fleeting.”
The exhibition builds on Amanda’s popular ‘Pecking Parrot’ series, a key highlight in last year’s show. Amanda now develops this thinking through the new ‘Waves’ series, which includes the piece that gives its name to the exhibition – ‘Inside Out’.
Amanda adds:
“From the ‘Pecking Parrot’ images, that I have used before to think about repetitive, self-critical thought, the ‘Waves’ series has developed. The ‘Waves’ series of images uses a variety of media including, chalks, oil pastels, designers chalk paint, watercolour, and acrylic gouache to think about these passing feelings – those which we would like to last for ever and those that are less desirable. The ‘Waves’ represent many varied passing emotions and their impact on our inner selves.”
“The ‘Wave’ images have culminated in one of my most recent paintings, that of ‘Inside Out’, a Mandala that aspires to balance the contradictory emotions of anger, how this is reconciled ‘Inside’, and where this inside object sits in the ‘Outside’ world.”
“Alongside these themes sunshine has featured in my work both ‘inside and outside’ the body. Sunshine encapsulating the feel-good factor of both the ‘inner’ visualisation method used in meditation and ‘Outside’ in the natural world. I have tried to express something of the warmth and passion that the sun brings from the outside world, juxtaposed to the ensuing calm within.”
Other images on show at the exhibition are from Amanda’s back catalogue and are totally at home in the setting of this show’s theme. They are the foundation that the current exhibition is built on and use common themes in the exhibition such as the ‘Mandala’ to explore similar questions and to reflect on life.
Amanda Godley studied Fine Art – Sculpture in 1979-83; and Art Psychotherapy in 1997-99. Recent exhibitions have included ‘Journey of Nutcase10’ in collaboration with the Turner Contemporary Wasteland Exhibition at the Pie Factory in Margate in 2018; ‘Connections…” at the Temperance Café & Gallery in Ramsgate in 2019; and ‘HOPE: Revisited’ at the Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable in 2021.
Fishslab Gallery is based at 11 Oxford Street, Whitstable, CT5 1DB https://fishslabgallery.co.uk/
Media enquiries to: Darren Johnson 07799 731 682
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