Lilith 

Medium: Acrylic and pencil

Dimensions: 43cm x 53cm

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your artistic practice?

I am a New Zealand born painter and filmmaker living and working on the Isle of Man. I have a BA in Religious Studies, and recently completed my MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. The current focus of my work is water - its scientific properties, ancient rites associated with it, and the mythological representations of its characteristics.

Can you tell me more about your fascination with water and what initially sparked your interest in this subject matter? 

I became increasingly fascinated with water after I moved to the Isle of Man and began living by the sea. Over time, I began to regard the sea not merely as a natural phenomenon, but also as a living entity that it is possible to cultivate a relationship with. As this relationship deepened, it influenced my art practice, and eventually became the chief focus of my work.

What aspects of water's scientific properties, ancient rites, and mythological representations are you most drawn to?

Although my love of water began with the sea, the water I am most interested in is fresh water, i.e., water held in underground aquifers, as well as rivers and lakes etc. The creation and building of civilisations were possible because humans learned how to control such waters, for example through the use of wells. Wells are a vital part of the human story, and have a rich history, mythology, and ritualised engagement associated with them. It is this role of wells, in all its facets, that is the current focus of my art practice.

What motivated you to apply and participate in this online program? What were your initial goals and expectations?

I was most attracted to the course because I thought it would provide a framework for me to explore and deepen the ecological aspect of my research into wells. I was also interested in learning how other artists produce ecologically focused work.

Can you tell us more about the project you worked on during the program? What was the theme or focus, and the mediums used?

Initially, I focused on a well, called Chibbyr Feeayr (Cold Well), on the Isle of Man that I have been visiting as part of an on-going project about a number of scared wells on the Island, which have a rich folkloric and cultural history associated with them and their location. 

Part way through the program, however, frogs began appearing in my toilet. It was such a wonderful surprise, and somehow felt fortuitous, so I decided to pivot a little and focus on frogs, which I have since discovered have a deep and abiding relationship with wells.

Frogs are incredible. They have been around for more than 200 million years (Homo sapiens have been here for 300,000 years) and were here before the dinosaurs. They are liminal creatures, inhabiting both water and land, and play a key role in mythologies around the world, typically as a symbol of resurrection and rebirth due to their ability the metamorphose and shed their skin. They are also a significant folkloric creature, and to find one in a well (or loo, as the case may be) is considered a good sign and is an indication that the water is clean. 

Having become fascinated by these wonderful creatures, I spent the rest of the program painting frogs, culminating in the painting “Lilith”.

Can you share an example of how you and your fellow artists inspired or learned from each other during the collaborative process?

I found our group sessions very inspiring. It was great to learn about each other’s practices and to see the projects we each work on evolve throughout the program. I think were extremely fortunate with the cohort we had, as we all work in different mediums, which made it more interesting to see each other’s work, and will hopefully result in a more interesting exhibition.  

If you could give one piece of advice to future participants of this program, what would it be?

Be open to the process and what comes up in your life while on the programme so it can feed new inspiration into your work. It is a wonderful programme, so mostly, just enjoy it!

Find more about the artist here.

See the immersive virtual exhibition here.

All images courtesy of Rebecca Odessa- Details of the painting Lilith.