andbackhomeinthedark,I becameawareofthenight
andthelightsandthat’swhatreallygotmeinterested.Sothejourneysprovidedtheinspiration?
Yes,I’vealwaysbeenattractedbythenightandthe
mysteryofit.I amfascinatedbyglimmersoflightinthe
dark,andwhatmightbebeyondthehorizon.Whatis yournextproject?
Earlynextyear,I willhavemysecondsoloexhibition
withtheCandidaStevensGalleryinChichesteraswellas
planninga thirdresidencyatChichesterFestivalTheatre.
Theexhibitionwillbethe“road”paintingsthatyoucansee
inthestudionow.Sometimespeoplewhoknowmywork
saythatthepaintingslookdifferenteachtimetheyvisit
thestudiobutthat’sthepoint– it’sa searching,a journey
andanadventure.
http://www.pippablake.comThe explanation is perhaps in meeting my husband and
in the life I led then. When we first met, he was sailing and
racing on the East Coast of the US, and I joined him with
my paint box. I realised very soon that trying to be an artist
on a racing boat was not going to work.How did you cope with painting whilst travelling?
When I was travelling with sailing boats and racing yachts,
I would always go and find a life drawing class when we
were on land. And I always took particular books with me,
one of Cezanne’s drawings, one of Bonnard, one of Richard
Diebenkorn and one of Willem de Kooning. During that
period, my work was all about life drawing and looking.
Then I had children, and that was quite an absorbing time.Was drawing the thread running throughout your practice?
Yes, and I love drawing. It is something that I’ve always
done. After my husband’s death I struggled with direction,
but I always kept drawing. In those days, you didn’t have
mobile phones for recording what you see. At the moment,
I feel that I’m not doing enough drawing and that the phone
has become my preferred tool.What prompted you to study at West Dean?
It was after my husband’s death. I was 50 when I embarked
on the course, and it made a huge difference. I was finding
out what my work was about. Driving to the course thereON THE ROAD
Pippa is working
on a series of
‘road’ paintings,
inspired by her
travels at night
After my husband’s death
I struggled with direction,
but I always kept drawing