Page 26 - Demo Catalogue

Throughout her life Rothwell oscillated between two pictorial languages: figuration and abstraction Figuration referring to to to to images depicted true to to to to life allowed her to to to to construct impressionist narratives by intertwining personal experience with natural elements These landscapes are deeply subjective marked by the the artist’s notes on on breath air and and nature in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sketchbook from 1995 she even annotated one work with the the enigmatic words “strange air ” Characterised by dense and powerful lines these many depictions of of figurehead symbols of of nature – – such as leaves trees and and birds – – demonstrate an an an an an incredible ability to to convey form and and and texture Importantly they allude to to a a a a a a a a a a a deep interest in in in in in poetry and and literature characterised by a a a a a feeling of fictive vitality in in in in her work VIVIEN ROTHWELL 25