Abi Whitlock
About
Abi Whitlock's work focuses predominately on the human form and how the mind and body are affected when immersed in water. This is mirrored by the way light is refracted and reflected, distorting and enhancing colour and shape. Whitlock captures the way entering the water enables the swimmer to enter an altered state of mind; a form of escapism from the real world.
Her inspiration comes from life on the coast, trips to the beach and outdoor pools. The way she works puts great emphasis on minute detail. This imparts every aspect of the painting with value and depth which in turn gives the observer the sense that they themselves are becoming immersed along with the swimmer.
Although Whitlock works in a hyperrealist style; the way she paints water creates natural abstraction within her pieces. Water and its interplay with light generate unusual, distorted and complex patterns, altering the perception of everyday images. In some of her most recent work, she also includes the technique of acrylic pouring; using the natural fluidity of paint to mimic the fluidity of water. The vivid, marbled colours and the uncontrolled way they flow across the canvas creates a sense of freedom in the work; a sharp contrast to the tight photorealist element to her paintings.
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Abi Whitlock
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Abi Whitlock
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3 questions on inspiration with
Abi Whitlock
We're asking artists to choose one notable person, place and object that has inspired them in their journey so far. We're mapping inspiration at a scale never attempted before
Person
The person who has been the biggest inspiration for my work is probably the artist Alyssa Monks. She's an American oil painter who creates works that feature women in the shower or bath. The way she manages to capture the feeling of water on skin, slick, wet hair and misty steam on glass is truly incredible! Finding her work really made me want to refine and hone my own style and skills when it came to being able to create the look of water by using simply paint alone!
Place
The most memorable place that inspired my paintings is probably Northern Cyprus. Both my family and I used to travel there a lot during childhood summer holidays and would spend much of our time at the beach! Swimming underwater there as a young child felt so magical and nearly dream-like, especially considering that the sea was both warm and clear so it was very much like being cocooned in a secret, safe, watery dimension all by yourself where no one could come and get you. I really try to capture that same feeling in my work now. I do this by using vivid, almost otherworldly colours to recreate that sense of child-like wonder that being submerged sparks within you.
Object
An object that comes to mind that has inspired my love of colour and light is my sister's big bag of marbles that I used to play with all the time as a child. I have fond memories of tipping them onto the carpet, spending hours arranging them, and making complex patterns on the floor. I always used to love the way that the sunlight shone through the vibrantly coloured glass and stained the light into a spectrum of rainbow hues.
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