In light of the government’s retraining quiz, we’ve decided to start a series foregrounding those artists defiantly persisting with their creative ventures. ‘Still an Artist’ is a show of support for art-heads everywhere, giving you an insight into the lives of our artists, as we meet them where they’re at…
Lately, the ecstatic work of Lindsay Mapes has been playing on our minds. Steeped in jewel tones and zesty neons, her abstractions literally simmer under the gaze. Each piece involves a steady build-up of marks and erasures, all competing with each other to reveal themselves on the works surface. The results are excitingly heady, like meeting new people at a party and discovering unlikely connections. I think we’d all agree this is an experience seriously in lack at the moment! And yet, Mapes’s work brings it right to us, in all its bustle of sherbet colour and sinewy pattern.
With her current pregnancy, Mapes is also preparing to welcome a very specific new stranger into her own life. We have news from the studio that she’s been more productive than ever, experimenting with new painting processes, and even turning her brush to the walls of her home…
Originally from the USA, Mapes studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute (1996–2000), and the Studio Arts Centre International in Florence (2006–07). She then received an MFA in Painting from the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL in London (2008–10), and since then has split her time between London and Italy. We love how she describes her work as a kind of “contemporary trompe l’oeil”, with optical illusions not strictly depicting reality, but also the internal build-up of memories.
It’s been interesting to muse on the fact that artists often liken ‘giving birth’ to the process of creating a new artwork. Currently for Mapes the metaphor is ringing doubly true. We congratulate her, and are also excited to see where this takes her work in the future. For now, have a see for yourself the utterly invigorating pieces we have on show…