North Van Arts presents a showing of local artist Lynda Fownes.
Lynda’s earlier work focused on soft sculpture and fibre art. In recent years she has returned to the idea of exploring patterns and textures—in both choice of subject and use of acrylic media. For this show, she takes her inspiration from tree bark. Lynda started the series a few years ago when a friend came across some birch trees that had come down in a windstorm. He was taken by just how beautiful the bark was and couldn’t resist delivering a pile of torn-off pieces to Lynda thinking she would somehow use them. She was indeed drawn to the wealth of pattern variation, such as old/young bark and inside/outside layers, that nature provides. In between other paintings, she returned to this series over the next two years, resulting in the current collection.
As a lover of texture, Lynda often combines layers of printed-paper and acrylic glazes to accentuate patterns in nature. These found pieces of bark and similar “bits” provide a starting place for a fruitful exploration. Regardless of subject or process, her aspiration is to look at unusual things with unusual eyes. Lynda’s exhibit runs to May, 23, 2022.
www.lyndafownes.com
