Hymn to Life

Wendy Raphael- born in Hyde Cheshire still a south Pennine cotton town with mills pumping smoke steam and soot that blackened buildings and coated the drystone walls trees and even grass.  We went to Wales for summer holidays. It was like going to Disney land. All high colour to me even the tree trunks were coloured.

My paint pots were magical bright colours that could change by a mixing. The theatre, dance and ballet, were all totally magical. Colour, movement, expressive impact., my response filled many drawing pads in fact as a child I searched for magic unknowingly. I still begin my canvases hoping they will come alive, that they will have that flame of human understanding and excite the onlookers.

The content of my paintings is mainly a flow of image association, like the more familiar flow of words in word association, therefore they may not be immediately understood, being so personal yet they are human a human being painted them.

The human figure fascinates me, movement, balance, the language of the body as opposed to “ body language “ how the body is clothed/dressed normal, theatrical, has strong impact. I have been lucky enough to sketch at rehearsals of top ballet and circus companies and enjoyed it immensely.

My bread and butter work has been teaching and working in an adolescent unit for young people who have physical or mental difficulties or both. They taught me a lot. Following this I had my own studio where I also gave classes to adults and children continuing to work supply in special school, all an incredible learning curve.

Now ‘ retired’ I enjoy an easier time still painting with the same passion, wonder and adventure searching for that magic and more time in nature which has been a constant love of mine all my life it has enchanted me.

Collectively my art is my Hymn to my life and my love for our planet we are all dependent on, It is so beautiful, generous and kind. We in our ignorance must not endanger any part of it.

Rumi the Persian poet said:

‘you are not a drop in the ocean but an ocean in a drop’

we must have belief and carry on searching.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little about me.

Wendy Raphael