Candy James

Unstructured, Abstract Painting, Gold, Black and White Painting, Mixed Media Art

2021/22

‘A sense of place develops when we combine memories and experiences with it.’ Contemporary abstract artist Candy James is known for her large scale, textured, nature inspired paintings on canvas using natural earth pigments to depict the Cotswold landscape in abstract form. As an environmental artist she explores psychological narratives surrounding place identity and the interconnectedness of man, nature and art. ‘Walking in the Cotswold countryside, locating interesting natural earth pigments from soil, limestone, streams and rock I capture organic elements of the landscape drawing me closer to nature. The relationship between these activities and my thinking considers my exploration as a creative aesthetic practice. The subsequent process of cataloguing, crushing and refining the pigments to create my own paints is both primal and mesmerising, ancient yet contemporary. There is a complexity to the simple natural elements used in my paintings. Their many layers folding in the past, present and possible futures of our actions and an outcome that is minimalistic and abstract in nature.’