Venetia Norris – Linear Collections: Drawings Inspired by Fenton House

Linear Collections is an exhibition of drawings by Venetia Norris inspired by the beautiful walled gardens of Fenton House. An exciting young artist, Norris is emerging as a recognisable part of the London art scene. Her passion for drawing directly from life allows her to present a detailed snapshot of the organic world as she plays with tradition versus modernity.

Fenton House is well-known as a collection of collections and the temporary installation of Norris’s exhibition enhances this theme. As Norris has spent time in, and come to know, the gardens at Fenton, she has found inspiration in a wider range of plant forms including vegetables and fruit. Rather than focusing on single blooms, she has been studying arrangements of flowers considering the way they are used within the house and further extending the garden’s decorative impact.

Using directional light and accentuating tonal contrasts, Norris is now creating more dramatic images while continuing to develop the relationship between delicate harmony and the energetic excitement of ink or gold-leaf lines. Many of Norris’s works make use of a restricted colour palette which allows her to explore tonal variation of line.

Norris looks at a traditional subject with fresh eyes. Although this exhibition focuses mostly on flowers and plants, the artist finds their shape and form more captivating than the subjects themselves. Coming from a resolutely feminine art history, flower depictions have been pursued and developed over the years, recently by such notable artists as Georgia O’Keefe and Dame Elizabeth Blackadder. Norris has followed in their footsteps and her detailed studies focus on the intricate forms in nature, analysing their structures in a beautiful and mesmerising way.

To coincide with the Open Garden Squares Weekend and Fenton’s Summer Tea Party, the artist will be holding a number of 30-45-minute drawing workshops on 4th and 9th June 2012 (these will be held at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm on both days). Materials will be provided. Classes are free of charge but a donation is requested to contribute to the upkeep of the gardens.