Justine Lois Thorpe

"I’ve been told that I have a somewhat restless nature. I think this may well be compounded by my occasional frustrations at not always being able to express myself, as I would wish, using the written & spoken word. Painting has always been my most effective form of expression. My solace and my communicator. 

My paintings can sometimes be difficult to define because my thought process can be ambiguous. They can relate to tangible objects as well as emotions and perceptions. But most often it’s my curiosity, to my emotional and physical connection with nature, the sea and the British coastline, which forms a major part of my inspiration. My childhood in Cornwall has fed this curiosity. In particular the contrast between natures comforting embrace and yet it’s sheer unpredictability, it’s restlessness and how this can relate and interact with my own emotions.

I work mainly with oils on board using a fairly free and spontaneous style. These can be works of pure abstraction or often abstract representation. Initially by drawing and then by applying generous amounts of oil, creating layers, which are often scraped in certain ways, until I achieve my desired texture, with the right balance and tones of colour, to convey a mood, feelings linked to my experiences, places and moments in time. I currently sell my work through selected galleries, interior designers and collectors." Justine Lois Thorpe