A few weeks ago I had the privilege of photographing the artist Vivienne Schadinsky with her exhibition ____on the line between earth and sky____ at North House Gallery in Manningtree, Essex.
Vivienne’s work is breath-taking and fascinating, she focuses on the natural world, observing and celebrating the shifting seasons whilst also highlighting endangered and extinct flowers and food plants.
I learned about Japanese micro-seasons, how did I not know about this before! 72 micro-seasons, changing every five days throughout the year. Such a joyful and grounding practice and I have thought of it every day since, encouraging me to slow down and notice, it is the very best kind of gratitude practice perhaps.
I photographed Vivienne with her work, capturing environmental portraits and images of the artworks hanging in the beautiful gallery and of course I loved every second. I still cannot believe I get to do this job, it is such an honour and I feel so invested in every one of my clients. Being photographed is an intensely personal experience and my clients have to open their hearts to me and trust me. It is such a privilege and I will never take it for granted. I hope that I have done justice to Vivienne’s thoughtful, passionate soul. This was the day before the opening, can you imagine how that must feel to an artist? That combined energy of excitement and nerves. The culmination of the work that has absorbed and consumed you, suddenly gathered together ready to be released into the world. It was my huge privilege to make these photographs.
North Street Gallery is a very special venue, established in 1999 by Penelope Hughes-Stanton in the former studio of her father, the painter and wood-engraver Blair Hughes-Stanton. A beautiful Georgian building with a sense of time and feeling of great peace, I can’t imagine a better setting for Vivienne’s work, the atmosphere of the gallery lends itself perfectly to Vivienne’s work and there is a gentle flow throughout the space, allowing plenty of time to pause and absorb the delicate brush stokes and fragile subject matter. I found Vivienne’s work incredibly moving and the gallery setting gives a real feeling of what it might be like to live with her work, the joy of watching the light interact with the art throughout the day, highlighting the soul of each piece.
