Featured Artist Ailsa Brown

Canadian painter and ceramic artist Ailsa Brown presents a collection inspired by the peaceful spirit of nature. See more of her portfolio by visiting her website.

 

 

My artwork speaks to our connection with nature and ultimately, with the greater whole of which we are all a part. We are all energy—all life is energy. My work honours and brings awareness to this connection. The more we connect with and revere nature, the more this reverence will be reflected back to us; not only as individuals, but collectively as a species. This can only bring about positive change for the world in which we live.

 

 

The focus of my work is to reestablish and strengthen our connection with nature and in doing so, center ourselves with our own “true nature” within.

 

 

The decision to pursue my artistic ambitions came with the desire and opportunity to attend art school in London, England. During that year, I was fortunate enough to encounter an abundance of historic and contemporary references that fueled my inspiration. This time away allowed me to reflect on who I was and what I wanted to express in my work. It became clear to me that the interconnectedness and oneness of all living things and the delicate relationship that exists within this sacred web of life would be the driving force for my creations.

 

 

My continued studies were at Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia. This established me as a mixed media abstract painter and a potter. My passion for painting combines working on canvas and also decorating my wheel thrown pottery forms. I have found a balance between actively creating in these two disciplines and I equally enjoy them both.

 

 

My approach to each new painting begins with washes of acrylics followed by layers of charcoal, pastels, plus various additional water-based media. I enjoy applying paint freely combined with the meditative and thoughtful process of the building up of layers.

 

 

My wheel thrown porcelain vessels display a colourful painted surface that compliments the elegant, clean-lined forms. I achieve these results with underglaze stains, slips and glazes, often embellishing with gold lustre or gilding.

 

 

Organic forms found in nature are the dominant inspiration for my work, primarily details observed on the bark of trees while sketching in the woods and on hikes. These intimate details are then magnified, portraying their beauty and wonder. This brings the spirit of nature to you in an up close and personal way. Images of landscapes also occasionally appear in my work, especially those of my ancestral country of Scotland.

 

 

Over years of developing my work, I have actively taught wheel thrown pottery and surface decoration workshops. It brings me great pleasure to assist and encourage others on their own creative journey. Continuing my own journey of both painting and pottery, on canvas or in clay, is a path that provides a life full of passion and pleasure.

 

Artist Ailsa Brown invites you to follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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