Nellie Crawford Still Life Exhibition

05/02/2022 to 05/03/2022

Liz James and her daughter Lucy have been showing my work in Priory Gallery for twenty years now, and although this isn’t my first exhibition with them it’s the first time I won’t be there to see it. Which is a shame because Priory must be one of the most exquisite galleries in England, and it’s always a pleasure to see Liz and Lucy in person. But we’ll be thinking of you as we enjoy forty-two degree heat here in Fremantle.
With the paintings in this exhibition I’ve tried to maintain the feeling of timelessness and tranquility that I strive for in my work. To me, a painting is not about genre or technique or style, it’s about what emotions it arouses, how it makes you feel. If my paintings evoke a feeling of peace for you, then I’m happy.
The works here are connected by their greys. Over the years I’ve come to love the subtlety of greys in all their shades and tones, and the balance they can give to a picture. Finding the exact grey I want takes time and involves a lot of mixing of colours and a lot of repainting.
And while I used to try to paint what was in front of me, being faithful to the colours and composition, now I tend alter the painting as I go, adding and taking away fruit, flowers, bowls, cloths, cups, and changing the composition, so that sometimes the final painting is completely different from what I started with.
That sounds like I don’t know what I’m doing, and it’s true. Painting is one long learning curve and I’ll keep trying and trying until someone takes the brush out of my hand.
I hope you enjoy these paintings.
Nellie Crawford,
January 2022