Exhibitions
Bright & Bold: Celebrating the Dorset Landscape
The next exhibition at Lyme Regis Museum is Miranda Pender’s vibrant collection of semi-abstract Dorset landscapes
The next solo exhibition at Lyme Regis Museum’s Rotunda Gallery is Miranda Pender’s vibrant collection of semi-abstract Dorset landscapes. Recognisable without being realistic and playing freely with colour, curve and contour, these acrylic paintings give the viewer a quirky perspective on familiar landscape features, and their bright and bold colour palettes create a spirit of light-hearted optimism.
Miranda’s work is influenced by the geometric forms of cubism, the bright colours of fauvism, and the simplicity of art deco railway posters. The effect has been compared to the dazzle camouflage developed by artist Norman Wilkinson during the First World War to disguise ships from enemy attack, where complex patterns of geometric shapes in contrasting colours interrupt and intersect each other.
Miranda’s process is to abstract the landscape into elemental shapes and then interpret them in a unique way, experimenting with combinations of different colours. “I look for a landscape feature,” she explains, “with strong, distinctive shapes, and work out how I can interpret them in an original way while retaining the essential spirit of the place.” Largely self-taught, she has benefited from many short courses and workshops on materials and techniques.
Miranda was born in London but spent most of her life in Essex, where for several years she chaired Saffron Walden Arts Trust. She now lives in Sherborne where she shares a studio with her husband Mark Pender, and is the Newsletter Editor for Bridport Art Society. She exhibits widely and participates in open studio events including Dorset Art Weeks. She is also a songwriter and guitar-player, entertaining audiences with a series of musical talks.
Miranda’s work is influenced by the geometric forms of cubism, the bright colours of fauvism, and the simplicity of art deco railway posters. The effect has been compared to the dazzle camouflage developed by artist Norman Wilkinson during the First World War to disguise ships from enemy attack, where complex patterns of geometric shapes in contrasting colours interrupt and intersect each other.
Miranda’s process is to abstract the landscape into elemental shapes and then interpret them in a unique way, experimenting with combinations of different colours. “I look for a landscape feature,” she explains, “with strong, distinctive shapes, and work out how I can interpret them in an original way while retaining the essential spirit of the place.” Largely self-taught, she has benefited from many short courses and workshops on materials and techniques.
Miranda was born in London but spent most of her life in Essex, where for several years she chaired Saffron Walden Arts Trust. She now lives in Sherborne where she shares a studio with her husband Mark Pender, and is the Newsletter Editor for Bridport Art Society. She exhibits widely and participates in open studio events including Dorset Art Weeks. She is also a songwriter and guitar-player, entertaining audiences with a series of musical talks.
CREDIT
