Elaine Pamphilon : Paintings
An exhibition on new and recent works, Elaine Pamphilon's colourful paintings are inspired by the things she loves - everyday objects, souvenirs from travels, patterns, and the romantic, wild countryside around her homes in St Ives and Cambridge. A walking enthusiast, Pamphilon is also drawn towards the haphazard nature of the countryside, coastal paths and sea, and man’s intervention and marks on those landscapes.
'To make a painting look simple and spontaneous ….is difficult. The more I paint, the less I need on the canvas. Colours excite me and inspiration comes from the things I love - everyday objects, souvenirs from travels, patterns and walking the romantic, wild countryside around our home. I love walking and am always making mental notes about colours, shapes, lines and textures. When traveling, I jot ideas down in a book. It may be something I see that holds my attention...or it can be something completely visually unrelated, an emotional reaction to being in that specific space. I am always drawn towards the haphazard nature of the countryside, coastal path and sea, and man’s intervention and marks on those landscapes.If you are inspired by life it dictates what you make...feel your way into a painting and your life is enriched'.
Pamphilon exhibits alongside husband and sculptor, Christopher Marvell.
'As a student living in Cambridge and as a harpist, I met and played with wonderful first class musicians and at the same time I met Jim Ede at Kettles Yard and Ben Nicholson when he was living at King's Mill with Sir Leslie Martin. These personalities influenced our decision to buy a house in St Ives, Cornwall and we worked there for over 25 years.
Christopher and I have been very lucky to talk daily about art. Each year we visit an enormous number of museums and art galleries both here and abroad, and together with our other passions of walking and traveling – lines patterns, colour and textures are all noted, discussed and added to our 'library'. The things we like are very similar and often we 'home in' on the same objects in an exhibition that immediately grab our attention. Working in our studios, within waving distance in the garden, means the latest painting, or the latest sculpture is talked about and assessed over coffee and tea breaks, we look carefully at each other's work and are each other's best supporter and critic'.
Elaine Pamphilon paints everyday objects, souvenirs from her travels, patterned fabrics and scenes observed from her surroundings. From her house and studio, she paints the distant views of boats, sea and shorelines and interior views with flowers, pebbles and shells, mugs and bowls on table tops. She works on canvas, board and paper using mixed media. Her painting career began in the mid 1980s at Homerton College, Cambridge where she studied under Kay Melzi.
Pamphilon is also a harpist, and divides her time between art and music. She studied with David Watkins, principal harpist at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and in Paris with Solange Renie-Siguret. After obtaining a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London she received lessons from the famous Welsh harpist Ossian Ellis. Both musical and literary references can be found in her paintings and drawings.
