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Art: Time to feel uplifted by bright art from five incredible painters




Let’s inspire joy this month by meeting five amazing local artists whose powerful paintings feature vibrant, uplifting colour

NADIA KOO

My specialism: I discovered my hidden talent five years ago on my birthday, thanks to an unexpected gift: a set of acrylic paints. I wish I could say it was love at first sight, but those paints sat untouched in my caravan in Saffron Walden for two years. The day I finally picked up a brush, something awakened in me. Painting became a compulsion, a passion. I was drawn to the vibrant chaos of it, the need to recreate giant, blossoming jugs of flowers, the brightest pinks, and the turquoise seas of my Caribbean childhood.

Nadia Koo with one of her resplendent creations
Nadia Koo with one of her resplendent creations

The inspiration: On the surface, my paintings appear bright and joyful, but there’s more to them. Beneath the vivid colours lie the shadows of loss and the echoes of childhood trauma. Painting is where I reconcile these emotions.

A colour-popping Nadia Koo painting
A colour-popping Nadia Koo painting

Why I love working in vibrant colour: For me, painting is an explosion of feelings, a way to translate joy and pain into something tangible. Every stroke is a part of my story, a way to make sense of the chaos, to heal, and to embrace everything that makes life so amazing and beautiful.

More: Follow on Instagram @nadiakoostudios

CHARLOTTE CORNISH

Specialism: I am a painter and printmaker.

Charlotte Cornish
Charlotte Cornish

My inspiration: Most of my work is initially inspired by significant places, sometimes from travel abroad and also from landscapes within the UK. I am drawn to places with intense atmospheres and rich colours. Over the years I have been on many trips abroad, including to countries in north Africa and India. Closer to home, I have explored imagery taken from the Suffolk coast and the beautiful landscapes of the Lake District. Although my final pieces are always abstracted, they have originated in actual places and experiences.

Charlotte Cornish - Cinnabar I
Charlotte Cornish - Cinnabar I

Why I love working with vibrant colour: I have a fascination with colour and colour relationships. Bright, strong saturated colour features in all of my work, communicating something of the experiences that have been the inspiration. There is an intensity to working with vibrant colour that is a key element. I am continually engrossed in working with colour combinations that produce powerful effects, visually and emotionally.

More: Visit charlottecornish.co.uk or Instagram @charlottecornishartist

LILY HAMMOND

Specialism: I studied illustration at university and achieved a first-class BA Honours degree in illustration. I would describe myself now as a muralist and surface designer, as most of my work is creating murals, or designing for my Suffolk-based brand, Uwu Studio, creating patterns for my products!

Lily Hammond in front of her striking art
Lily Hammond in front of her striking art

My inspiration: I draw and paint things that I love. Plants, animals, inspirational women. I recreate my passions in life to share with others and hope they love them too!

Lily Hammond art
Lily Hammond art

Why I love working with vibrant colour: My brand is called Uwu Studio. Uwu means ‘colourful’ in my family’s native tongue Kwale. It’s a huge part of my work; everything I design or paint is bright, colourful and cheerful, as my intention is to uplift the audience through my art.

More: Visit uwustudio.co.uk or Instagram @uwu_studio_

JO RANCE

Specialism: As a contemporary landscape painter, my work celebrates the British countryside throughout the seasons. I work primarily with acrylic paint on canvas, depicting wider landscapes of rolling hills and cloudy skies, to denser woodlands and winding rivers.

Jo Rance next to one of her vibrant paintings
Jo Rance next to one of her vibrant paintings

My inspiration: I take note of my surrounding flora, fauna and landscape through time spent outdoors location drawing, which I bring back to my Cambridgeshire studio to inform my larger work. My background originates in woven textile design, which has influenced my use of pattern and mark making in my work.

Jo Rance, The First Hawthorn Bloom
Jo Rance, The First Hawthorn Bloom

Why I love working with vibrant colour: I hope I can provoke a sense of natural wonder, hope, and intrinsic joy with my vibrant colour choices. Interrupted palettes tend to characterise my paintings; pastel and rosy tones peppered with acidic greens can often be seen in my work. Ultimately, I love that colour evokes emotion and feeling, and feelings are what it is to be human.

More: Visit jorance.com and Instagram @jorancedesign

AMY WORMALD

Specialism: I create vibrant paintings to bring people joy. Colour, in all its brilliance and subtlety, is the heartbeat of my work. I use spray paint, acrylics, emulsion and pencils, working intuitively to create layers of interest in my paintings. I make artwork for homes, workplaces and public spaces.

Amy Wormald in the studio
Amy Wormald in the studio

My inspiration: Being outside and experiencing the ever-changing light inspires my work. I draw creativity from the world around me and the places I visit. My most recent series of paintings focus on UK wildflowers, particularly those found in Cambridgeshire, showcasing bold blooms and foliage on large and small canvases. I’ve also been experimenting with new paint technologies, including pearlescence, fluorescence, and phosphorescence.

Amy Wormald - Full heart
Amy Wormald - Full heart

Why I love working with vibrant colour: Colour holds incredible power; it can influence our mood, actions, and emotions. Vibrant colours are full of life and vitality, and I love how they make me feel. For me, colour is all about connection and feeling, and I love how it has the power to unite us.

More: Visit amywormald.net


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