(H)EARTH by Liffey Joy

On exhibition from 2 February until 5 April 2023

Liffey Joy is a mixed media artist who lives in Cape Town and makes all her artworks with the help of her two cats. Her focus is on experimentation and materiality with a process that revolves strongly around play and exploration.

This element of the unknown adds a sense of risk but also of fun, making the experience new each time paint touches canvas. She also combines her interests in nature and mark-making in her abstract artworks where her aim is to create interesting textures that mimic patterns seen in nature.

She does this by mixing various materials such as ink, acrylic, wine, potassium permanganate and epsom salts. This combination of mediums in differing ratios creates an alchemical effect resulting in fluid, organic marks and textures that, whilst being controlled, still feel natural. Her work is essentially planned chaos with a strong reliance on embracing the unexpected as well as adapting to the movement and marks made by the different materials during the painting and drying process.

"When I think of calm and comfort I think of nature. Of the smell of leaves in a forest, or the sound of wind running through tall grass. Of sunlight on waves and the smell of salt in the air. (H)earth is an exploration of these feelings using a mix of paints, stains and textures. Each artwork is an experimentation of materials in an effort to create organic marks that mimic occurrences in nature. They are a homage to the colours, patterns and textures of the earth and sky. Each places an importance on embracing the unknown as, even though each work is planned, the way each material reacts with another will result in a different outcome every time”

(H)earth is a hopeful look at the world around us that is constantly growing and changing. It is a reminder that new and wonderful things are being created around us all the time and that there can be beauty in the smallest of things. Each artwork is also about letting go of control and letting yourself be a little bit more free in a world we are sometimes too busy to appreciate.