To be found at the gleamingly white Tinker Gallery in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, the exquisite collaboration of work by Alice and Juliet depicts their visual impressions of ‘Still’. A contradiction that stillness may be put into form, yet when present amid these pieces, made of natural materials and carefully crafted to delicately hold space unobtrusively, then hypnotically a stillness is invoked.
I sat silently and viewed pieces titled, ‘Gesture’, ‘Motes of Dust’, ‘Song’, ‘Bean Stems with Flax’, ‘Rhythms’ and ‘Endless’, and fell into that deep quietness that is also found in Meeting. Juliet’s mobiles, in sweeping curves, bring a mesmerizing calm so that the outside traffic fades and passersby are lost, as the wooden shapes, balancing pebbles, swirl in the sunlight. From the sky to the earth, my eye moves to the weavings created by Alice, who’s art favours natural and found items. Seeing the dandelion surfaces intricately twisted and entwined to present a beautiful array of colours and skill, my thoughts are drawn to our connection with the land.
In this collection, a number of pieces have been true collaborations, where both artists have put their own impression into a creation. These works present a natural rhythmic relationship, displaying the time and imagination to combine mediums and styles. There is a playfulness to these particular pieces which reflects the joy of working with such materials and of making something together. When considered by the viewer, there is an appreciation of how we interconnect with the natural world, and a space is opened for our own interpretation. Some pieces are so delicate and fragile that they may evaporate in a rough gust, whilst others are grounded and earthy. An unwitting reflection on the human experience.
The elements that formed the rocks, which appear throughout the exhibition, take us back to the ancient natural world, creatively integrated to form art that is connected yet individual to the artist and observer. For in this moment of stillness we experience emotions and thoughts invoked by the presence of solid matter embraced by the weave of dried Bindweed, or suspended in the cradle of a strip of curved maple. We are not in isolation from these materials but are graced with the opportunity to see them in a new light, to be reminded that beauty exists, grows and is made.
Juliet and Alice grew up in Quaker families and their intuitive following of the principals of simplicity, sustainability and a connection to an inner silence is evident in their work. Using naturally sourced materials and taking their inspiration from the natural world, the pieces themselves embody a gathered stillness, asking for contemplation, asking for calm.
When I spoke with these two artists I asked about their methods, their inspirations. They returned each time to the feel of the materials and moments in nature that bring cause for us to stop and quietly admire. The swooping Sand Martins nesting in the banks of the river; foraging for dandelions at the allotment or in patches of wild growth. Connecting and reconnecting with nature and shaping it to be enjoyed in a new form.
Some of the pieces are not yet fully resolved, they were made through experimentation and brought together by being brave, otherwise, where does the collaboration lie, if not in the trying. This idea spoken of the art also tells of our own ventures, to work together, alongside nature, to seek change, and make something beautiful and not be afraid to try again.
These pieces will go into people’s homes, catch the light in living rooms and twirl in the breeze from an open window in a bedroom. They will be passed on to children, or friends, and take on new life and meaning. They will bring joy and carry with them thoughtfulness and a Stillness.
Photo: David Lindsay