By Isabel Rock
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative takes the audience on a journey into the imagination.
In October 2023 Isabel won the Evelyn Williams Drawing Award at the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize. Known as the UK’s most prestigious annual open exhibition for drawing; part of the prize is a solo show at Hastings Contemporary, scheduled for 2024.
Whilst Isabel always has a tale to tell for each of her images, you may or may not choose to go on the journey with her or you may indeed have a different story, one of your own that jumps off the page at you, that that you decide to follow.
Artwork Details:
Call of the Sea, 122 x 152cm, Collaged woodblock print, acrylic inks on Somerset satin paper, 2023
Artwork Provenance: from the Artist Studio
photo credits, Isabel working, black and white shots, James Brown
In Isabel's own words:
Call of the Sea:
The sea was calling, calling its sirens song. It threw tempting little waves flirtatiously on the shore. 'Come,' it said, 'come.' The sea glittered with promise, it whispered sweet nothings as it rolled the tiny gem pebbles on the beach. 'Come to me,' it said, 'I will show you the world, the true meaning of life.'
The people felt the pull, the blood pumping in their veins, like a magnet they were drawn towards the sea. Mesmerised, bewitched, they stripped of their clothes, leaving them in molehills on the beach. The breeze caressed bare bottoms, free from the constraints of life. They stepped cautiously at first but as excitement overwhelmed them they broke into a run as they neared the water. The sea tickled their toes and beckoned them in, making sweet promises of delightful pleasures.
*Please note we are happy to ship this work rolled in an art tube. Whilst the work is on heavy duty art paper and mixed media, the artist is happy that the painting will be rolled. This is a more cost effective and environmentally sound method of shipping. Shipping via this method is free.
About Isabel Rock and her work:
Taking inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints and Indian miniature painting Rock has developed a unique collage technique that combines bold structures with large-scale woodblock prints and intricate detailing. The subject is a grand mixture of humour, drama, hidden morals, fanciful characters, modern culture, mythical beings and fantastical situations.
Rock creates a world that pulls you in and demands your attention. Quality of line is paramount, the drawings are created using a dipping pen and acrylic ink. An essential tool is a squirrel...
Category
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsPaint, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen