Christine Hopkins SGFA Seeing without looking (New Gallery Space)
25th October to 18th November 2011
Mixed media paintings and prints of urban landscapes by Christine Hopkins SGFA
Christine’s work examines how we are influenced by the vocabulary of place. Her subject matter is rarely a recognisable landmark, yet evokes a response from the viewer ‘I know where that is’. Christine explains ‘ We all see without looking – absorbing detail subconsciously. Editing this with an artist’s eye produces work that has a comforting familiarity, whether in paint or print’.
Christine is drawn to linear shapes and graphic landscapes.
‘I love urban landscape and interiors, particularly those less glamorous glimpses. The backs of buildings can often reveal more of their personality than the renovated fronts, and an untidy kitchen especially so. I sketch and photograph wherever I go – this enables me to get a real understanding of the location I’m in. But I often distill this in the finished piece, to give more of the flavour of a place rather than an accurate depiction.
My work examines how we are influenced by the vocabulary of place: although the subject matter is rarely a recognisable landmark, yet it evokes a response from the viewer ‘I know where that is’.
Christine explains: ‘We all see without looking – absorbing detail subconsciously. Editing this with an artist’s eye produces work that has a comforting familiarity, whether in paint or print. It gives me enormous pleasure if a viewer sees echoes from their own childhood or other life experience in one of my finished pieces’. The paintings incorporate collage of all sorts – often the contents of the recycling bin will make their way into a painting, or newspapers collected on when travelling. Old train tickets, sheet music and ephemera can be spotted if you look hard enough.
Christine exhibits widely in the South East and in London, and teaches mixed media painting, collage and simple printmaking at the Skylight studio in Reigate. Twice shortlisted for Surrey Artists of the Year (2009 and 2010) she has been voted the best studio in Surrey by visitors.
As part of the Big Draw event, Christine regularly demonstrates unusual drawing techniques at the Menier Gallery in London with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, of which she is a Council member.