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Exhibition Review: Wild at Heart – Martyna Pichalska at Tea Amantes

Keen to get out of the house and to the first Tea Amantes exhibition of the year, David Simper caught the service 61 bus down to the town centre, to take in the work of Polish painter and tattoo artist, Martyna Pichalska. It didn’t disappoint.

The weather wasn’t too good for this evening at Tea Amantes, but this show was well worth the effort to get down into Blackpool. The work has a wonderfully wild, spontaneous grip about it, apart from possibly the pooches wearing bow ties. Materials switch between watercolour and acrylic using a restrained and effective palette. Acrylic seems to lend itself a lot better to black than watercolour and the latter images seemed to be somewhat more high key. Martyna also uses pastels, pencils, markers and crayons in her work. Whatever she touches the execution is stunning, the detail and sense of movement exacting.

Horses in dramatic, low key acrylic. I am jealous as I can’t draw horses.

Martyna has come from her home in Nottingham to join us in Blackpool. A TV person was in the gallery when I arrived and a short clip appeared on people’s screens shortly after this launch, based on the idea of a welcoming Blackpool arts community, which is certainly the case. It’s obviously such a good thing that Blackpool can be recognised nationally as an arts hub.

There are also dog and cat images, some wearing bow ties.

The work is inspired by a deep love for nature, the sea and horses, the latter involving a profound bond going back to childhood. The passion for the subjects seems to burst out of these images and one can feel the commitment.

Dogs and horses in watercolour.

I asked Martyna how she has come to find the Tea Amantes gallery, so far from Nottingham.

“Because of owners Anna and Shamack who I have known for years. I know that they support up and coming artists, so here I am,” she said.

I note the variety of animals in Martyna’s work, particularly the horses – so what is  behind that choice of subject matter?

“I have been riding all my life. I was on a horse at eight months old. I just loved them. My grandfather was the same, so that was an influence. I think they’re great animals – powerful and beautiful. So they are an inspiration.”

The work achieves an incredible sense of movement, how is that created in what will be a still image?

“I have been in art school for five years, which taught me such techniques. I kind of like feel the freedom in the painting and I become spontaneous, completely switching off and doing whatever I want to do creatively. It’s very relaxing, switching my brain off and focusing on what I’m doing with the brush and my materials.”

What is the criterion for switching between watercolour and acrylic?

“I have been doing watercolours for years and sometimes I need a break from acrylics and I go to watercolours, then the same thing will happen in reverse. Fingers crossed I will be back to oil painting soon. Perhaps I will do a bit of drawing as well, we’ll see.”

Thanks to Martyna for these insights into her work processes and inspiration. Although I have never been a horse person and more of a cat than a dog person, these paintings were really projecting something to me.

Thanks as ever to the Tea Amantes team for the teas to sample and the nibbles. Despite the weather, a congenial crowd had come and gone throughout the evening. With the service 3a due, I made my departure after a very nice time with wonderful people and great art.

Wild at Heart is on show at Tea Amantes until 2nd February 2025.

 

 

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    I have worked in the housing and transport professions for several local authorities, specialising in policy, strategy preparation and bid writing. Having always had an interest in film, the visual arts in general, theatre, music and lterature, I thought it would be good to combine the writing experience with these interests to contribute to altBlackpool. In addition to writing, my hobbies include watercolour and pastel painting, photography, woodwork, cycling and vegetable gardening.

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