Real and imaginary landscapes
One of the founders of the Bermondsey Artists’ Group, Louise Sheridan has remained in the area and continued painting scenes of what she sees around her every day, often from her studio window that overlooks the Thames and along to Tower Bridge, which means she spends time there and it appears a lot in her paintings that she describes as ‘real and imaginary landscapes mixed with memories of travel, personal stories, and explorations of nature’.
Always inspired by the river and its constant variations, Louise said, ‘I’ve lived by the Thames all my life and find the power of that water fascinating: its powerful currents and changing light, colour, and atmosphere; the rise and fall of the tides and sudden floods caused by wild, stormy weather. Walking along the foreshore, the river reveals layers of history as the tides uncover mysterious objects from long ago.’
Even the dream-like artworks of the place she loves the most, will count as a chronicle of river life and activity for future historians.
‘I work intuitively,’ she reveals, ‘building up acrylic paint layers and occasionally drawing into the images with ink, oil pastels, and pencil on my preferred surface of Nepalese paper.’
That intuition that takes over produces wonderful pictures that can be seen at her next exhibition.
Louise regularly exhibits and has completed commissions in the UK and India. Her work is held in public collections including Paintings in Hospitals, the Towner Art Gallery Collection, Eastbourne, St Thomas’ Hospital, and Banque Paribas.
Instagram: @louisesheridanartist
Gallery White Box, 5 Hare and Billet Rd, Blackheath, London, SE3 0RB from 6th – 15th March.
Friday-Sunday (10am-5pm), or by appointment.
