Sarah Gillard, 5th September 2014

 

 

A Passion for Colour

 

Born into a family of artists, Sarah Gillard has always had a passion for colour.  This was only too evident in her illustrated talk and demonstration to the Otter vale Art Society at its meeting in The Institute on September 6th.  Sarah’s paintings in vibrant colours are highly sought after and have been exhibited across the country, sold to private collectors and reproduced for the public on greeting cards, posters, calendars and limited edition prints.

 

A graduate of what is now Middlesex University, Sarah started out designing rugs for Conran shops but was first introduced to the possibilities of working in the medium of gouache when she joined the famous Liberty design studio in 1989.  Her first solo exhibition then followed at the Lyric Theatre, London in 1993.  After a spell living in The Netherlands she came to Devon in 2006 where she has exhibited her work and conducted numerous demonstrations and workshops, but is now based in Gloucestershire.

 

During her evening with OVAS, Sarah was able to amply demonstrate her mastery of the medium and instinctive feel for mixing, blending and contrasting colours; a skill developed over the many years she has spent as a commercial and freelance artist and honed by working throughout Europe.  Members of the society and guests were able to try their hand at using gouache at the end of the meeting and some attended Sarah’s workshop the next day.  Many who had not used this opaque medium before were surprised by striking effects that can be achieved with the dense colours.

 

In summing up and thanking Sarah on behalf of OVAS, the chairman, Neil Marshall, spoke for all present in saying how her contemporary style landscapes and abstract works radiate light and captivate the viewer.