Sandy Kay’s artful and sparing use of colour brings her nature-inspired, abstract works to life.
Born in California, Kay calls Halfmoon Bay home now. Her frequent walks in nature, particularly the trails, bog, and foreshore near Smuggler Cove, inspire her work.
This new series is entitled “Soave.” It’s an Italian word often used in music, directing the performer to proceed in a gentle, soft, and engaging manner. Kay chooses her words and her marks carefully because that is how she communicates:
“Painting is my language: how I say to people what I am feeling and seeing.”
For this series, Kay works with oils and a cold wax medium. To apply or remove the paint she uses tools such as knives, squeegees, or anything at hand. This requires a firm surface, either board or thick paper affixed to board. No canvas is used.
Viewers will notice Kay’s scant and arresting use of colour. For these works, she lays down the colour first, then applies layers of texture and black/white over top. It then becomes a process of rediscovering the colour as she goes.
“I use a limited palette of three colours and black/white,” the artist explains. “Paintings start with bold application of colour and multiple layers. Marks are added or removed using tools to scrape through to layers underneath, or to add texture.”
There is a lot going on in these works and viewers will notice wonderful energies and harmonies in her compositions, the result of horizontal and vertical lines at play.
“I am especially drawn to the feelings that can result when these are used together: strong horizontal design can evoke feelings of calmness and peacefulness in the viewer, while vertical design can evoke feelings of strength and groundedness. These two can be used in harmony and peace or dissonance and conflict. In this series, I strive for the former.”
After a couple of years of relative isolation and solitude in which to immerse herself in her work, Kay thinks that feeling harmony, gratitude, and peace is an emerging trend for many. In her words:
“Many people I know here on the Coast have felt the same, happy in a quieter way, more appreciative of our beautiful environment and each other, aware of how fortunate we are to be here on the Sunshine Coast and all we have here.”
