Thin Places reveal themselves in moments of solitude, where there is mystery in the landscape and nature. In this group exhibition, a printmaker, a photographer and a painter share their emotional responses to the liminal landscape and invite us to connect with our own ‘thin’ spaces.
Alistair Tucker
Donalda O’Neill
Eli Pascall-Willis
Thursday 16th May – Saturday 22nd June
Opening times: Thurs – Sat, 10am – 4pm
Alistair Tucker was born in Hampshire and now lives on the Wirral. His work looks to explore such excellence, grandeur and beauty, which so often inspires a response. He says: “ I love the way in which wind, cloud and rain change the light and therefore the form of the landscape. Light in a landscape has become my predominant preoccupation. Light comes from above but so often appears to come from within the landscape, as though the land itself would speak. I respond to the world around me and art is one way I try to make sense of it. Many things inspire me visually, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Music, poetry, art and the bible are just a few of my other sources of inspiration, which you will see appearing in my work.”
Donalda O’Neill is from Northern Ireland. She moved to Liverpool in 1997 to study Fine Art and now lives and works on the Wirral. Her current work explores landscapes in and around where she grew up. She says about her work: “I relate to the idea of the ‘sublime’ in that being in the Irish landscape is a particular sensory experience I don’t feel anywhere else. It taps into something in my soul, it feels immeasurable and my insignificance in comparison to nature is magnified. I feel rooted within it, yet always knowing I have to leave, creating an urgency to record, to paint, to absorb as much as I can before it is lost to me again. The process of the painting is about holding on”.
Eli Pascall-Willis is a professional photographer living and working on the Wirral peninsula. Eli clearly remembers owning a camera at the age of ten. However, it was not until his mid-twenties when he found himself behind a friend’s SLR, which ignited his passion for image-making, initially with black and white film and printing in a darkroom. It also took him into the landscape, where he spent much of his time exploring various parts of the UK. In more recent years Eli has found himself drawn more and more to woodlands. His fascination for trees comes from early memories as a child living in Mid-Wales, exploring, climbing and making dens. He now seeks to further understand woodland habitats and capture their essence. Doing this gives him a feeling of calm and belonging.
The gallery will be hosting a preview evening on Thursday 16th May between 6pm and 8pm. All three artists will be joining them in the gallery for the evening so do head along to meet them.
You’ll find the LAKE gallery in the heart of West Kirby, a couple of minutes from the train station.