The launch of Mary Jules Brindley’s exhibition, Nature’s Hidden Beauty, at Urban Arts Studio in St Annes was an explosion of colour and joy. Mary’s bright pink hair and green twinkly dress made her a walking work of her own art preempting the rainbow of works that are hung around the walls.
Mary Jules Brindley’s works are mainly abstract mixed media, although the playful titles Mary gives to her works give us an insight into what she was inspired by when creating them. Some of my highlights were ‘Toadie’s Day Out’, ‘Thoughts of Mars’, ‘Night Swimming’ and ‘The Trip to Mexico’. Each embraces one dominant colour-Toadie/green, Night swimming/midnight blue- but the richness and character of each piece come from the added sparkle and texture created by a variety of small objects, buttons, string, layers of paint and some mysterious glittery magic.
A set of three works in shades of purple, entitled The Illuminations, perfectly captured the mood of our annual lights- fest with its myriad of twinkling colours amongst the nightshade darkness, so attractive to one visitor that she purchased them on the spot.
A huge canvas of a fantasy fairytale butterfly nestling on giant flowers in acrylics stands out. On a recent visit to the Butterfly House in Williamson Park, Lancaster, Mary observed a single butterfly as it sat motionless for half an hour. Her interpretation, three works entitled Microscopic Wings in vivid reds, was remarkably all painted in bed during a recent period of ill health.
Mary describes her work as her response to our human relationship with the environment. Michael’s Toys, an intricate yet imposing piece in purples and rusty orange, features fragments and remnants of her own son’s actual childhood playthings scattered across the canvas. Inspired by her son’s question, ‘where do all the old toys go?, it serves not only to highlight society’s issues on landfill but also to preserve fleeting memories of Michael’s young years.
Mary Jules Brindley’s work is as inspiring and delightful as the artist herself. Do your best to get down and see it during April. You will not regret it.
The latest artist to be featured at this vibrant upcoming venue, you can view Mary Jules Brindley’s exhibition, Nature’s Hidden Beauty, at the following times:
Cafe Bar opening times:
Wednesdays 1400 – 1830
Thursday 1730 – 2300
Friday 1900 – 0100
Saturday 1900 – 0100
Urban Arts Studio, 11-12 Whiteside Buildings, Back St Annes Road West, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1RD
Image ‘Night Swimming’ copyright Mary Jules Brindley
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