Somethings are best left undone.
After last weekend’s fun filled portrait of Janice Rider at Birmingham open studios, I got talking to anther good friend of mine; Tiggy. Her work is incredible, very abstract, lots of bold hues, she certainly knows how to create fields of texture!
As I had come to the end of my portrait painting of Janice Rider, I wanted to fill my next weekend with something equally exciting. I’d already expressed to Tiggy how I admired her work. It is beautiful. In particular, her turquoise hues and the amazing textures she manages to create. An idea formed and we decided; why not create a portrait piece incorporating her work and mine. A piece of work that blends her artistic voice with mine—an interplay of two distinct styles.
The collaboration…
This was never going to be an easy task. Tiggy spent the week between the two weekends of the Birmingham Open Studios creating her piece, and I received it on Friday, ready to draw up her portrait, ready for the weekend.
The challenge was to develop a collaborative piece of work, a harmony of both styles. A dance between two artists. I didn’t want to crowd or over paint the work, I wanted to allow Tiggy’s work to sing through. I really appreciate work that’s unfinished, it shows process. Like an open-ended journey, less was more with this piece of work. Many times, I have considered stopping with my portrait work, rather than focus on perfection; to purposefully leave the work under rendered to truly tell the story of the piece and show my process. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to do just this.
Some things, indeed, are better left undone…
The Final Work
"Tiggy"
A collaboration by
Tiggy & Emma Woolley
Mixed Media, Acrylic,
Oil on heavyweight paper
50cm x 64cm
Part of the continuation of The Wonder Series 2024
