While our galleries are temporarily closed and our physical activities are on hold, we have been looking at different ways to bring art to our audiences. For one of our digital projects, we have been talking to local artists to produce a series of Artist Profiles.
In our first profile we talk to Orcadian artist Laura Drever.
Here’s what she had to say about her own art and inspirations and how COVID-19 has impacted on her and her work as an artist.
I was born and brought up in Kirkwall (Orkney) and studied Drawing and Painting at Edinburgh College of Art from 1999 – 2003. I have worked steadily and committedly to maintaining my practice, with regular exhibitions both within and out with Orkney. Towards the end of 2019, I left my part-time post in the Voluntary Sector to concentrate fulltime on my art practice.
An important part of my practice is being involved in Orkney’s creative community. I am a former Chair of the Pier Arts Centre and recently joined the Board of Soulisquoy Printmakers.
Inside Laura’s Kirkwall studio
I draw and paint the Orkney landscape, creating work on a variety of scales that evokes a sense of time, place, and movement and that captures the ever changing character of Orkney’s unique environment.
I observe, record and gain a ‘sense’ of the landscape through walking. I gather memories of location; absorb elemental changes and minute detail. Responsive to subtle qualities of light, movement within the landscape – birds, weather, vegetation; alert and sensitive to the lay of the land; the colours, textures and forms, created and reworked by nature.
Drawing the Hoy Hills
Orcadian Artist, Sylvia Wishart has always been an influence in my work – her mark making, use of light, colour and love of the Orkney landscape.
Sylvia Wishart Hoy Sound 1987 © estate of the artist
Mark Rothko’s use of colour, scale and ideas of intimacy interests me and have influenced decisions on scale, colour and composition.
Peter Lanyon, Franz Kline, Helen Frankenthaler and Patrick Heron all have a quality of mark making, application and physicality that I admire.
Untitled 2020 © the artist
Painting in oil and acrylic on canvas are the predominant choice of medium, however experimental work on leather, graphite drawings on paper and basic printmaking techniques have been constant throughout my practice. Each informs the other from the marks made, compositions or techniques used.
The titles of my work give an insight into the place that it is inspired by. All (or most) of my finished pieces are named after Orcadian place names or words – that could be an Island, a specific area, a hill, a farm, a piece of land. All paintings are named on completion and act as a full stop to the work.
Fea (Hoy 1) 2018 © the artist
Any advice to other artists?
Work hard, stay focussed, enjoy your practice. Never throw anything away - work on it, improve, learn from the mistakes made. Welcome opportunities when they arrive and consider how valuable they are to your practice. Be confident in what your subject matter is, develop ideas by talking to others and trying new approaches. Visit galleries and exhibitions, appreciate all forms of art to expand understanding and approach.
How are you managing the current situation?
During the Covid lockdown my focus has had to change. Time for my own work has been limited – studio time as well as walking time. My children (age 9 and 11) have had to take priority. However, it is not all bad news as, it has meant that they have had time to be creative, use their imaginations and learn new skills. It has given me time to share my skills, learn from them and enjoy their love of art.
Studio take over by George (11) and Rosa (9)
Delays to opportunities, cancellation of courses and changes of plans have been frustrating but have had to be accepted. I have never thought of ‘time off’ or less creative time as a bad thing. It gives a breather, time to stop and think and appreciate the work I do. A step back to think about what is next.
I am looking forward to getting out to the coast to walk, to have more time, energy and motivation to paint in the coming weeks and months. I look forward to getting back to Soulisquoy Printmaking studio to learn and to be around others. Most of all I look forward to continuing to build my new collection for a future exhibition at the Pier Arts Centre.
I feel very privileged to have a studio and be a practicing artist. I have never taken this for granted and this ‘time off’ has only highlighted my commitment, enthusiasm, and love of what I do.
Laura’s work can be viewed by arrangement in her Kirkwall studio (telephone 07742611356), on her website www.lauradrever.co.uk and on social media Facebook - lauradrever.artist Instagram - laura.drever
Next local artist in our Artist Profile series will be Birsay based artist and writer Samantha Clark.