Eight years ago today was the opening of Rosalind Wise’s Wetlands and Wilds exhibition. This collection depicted the soft green and blue hues and abundant vegetation of the wetland wildlife reserve in Slimbridge, England. This exhibition is the perfect representation of Rosalind Wise’s work, which is inspired by the wild and untamed yet beautiful natural world.
Rosalind Wise is an English painter, born in South Wales in 1949, which she describes on her website as a time “before decimalisation, mobile phones, computer and digital communication.” She says that, “Looking back it seems a quieter, gentler, less hectic time to grow up in.”
This upbringing certainly reflects in her work today, which depicts the natural world, seemingly untouched by an increasingly chaotic society. In this way, her paintings bring a sense of peace and presence in the moment, which is a mindset Rosalind seems to have carried from her childhood.
The decade in which Rosalind was born wasn’t her only influence. In an interview with FF2 Contributor Amelie Lasker, Rosalind describes: “I was very lucky, because my mother was very into nature but also into art, and always saw it as important.”
Rosalind’s work consists of paintings which she places into three categories: gardens, winter gardens, and wild spaces. Her garden paintings are filled with bright flowers which seem to burst into bloom, set against the backdrops of green grass and blue skies. The striking colors fill the canvas, giving the impression that the flowers are endless.
Her winter gardens take on more muted blues and grays, but give a sense of abundance nonetheless. In all cases, the canvas fills with flowers and plants which go in all directions, giving a strong sense of movement.
Rosalind’s “wild spaces” are ones like the Wetlands and Wilds exhibition, attempting to capture parts of nature that have been untouched, left to thrive on their own. Featuring ponds filled with lily pads, mountains surrounded by trees, and sweeping meadows filled with wildflowers, these paintings invite the viewer into a world they don’t often have the privilege of seeing.
In her interview with Amelie Lasker, Rosalind explained the inspiration behind her paintings: “I love color and I like energy. Because my paintings, although they’re about plants and places, they’re really about energy, natural energy.” This perfectly encapsulates Rosalind’s art. Capturing both the peace and the untamed vivacity of nature, Rosalind’s paintings are filled with this “natural energy.”
© Julia Lasker (4/15/2023) FF2 Media
LEARN MORE/DO MORE
Read Amelie Lasker’s interview with Rosalind Wise here.
Learn more about Rosalind Wise and her work here.
CREDITS & PERMISSIONS
Featured photo: Image from Pomegranate’s 2022 Rosalind Wise calendar has been provided by Pomegranate and is used here by FF2 Media with their permission. All Rights Reserved by Pomegranate.
