Home-town solo show for Shoreham artist Krysia Drury

Entitled Painting Spectrum, the exhibition runs from July 29 to August 10.

As she says, the idea is to celebrate a lifetime in art and that fact that she is still painting in her 70s.

“Throughout my artistic career I have enjoyed working across a range of styles and mediums and have always had a great love of colour. Hence the title of this show.

“This exhibition covers a range of subject matter from Sussex landscapes, gardens and still lifes to paintings inspired by my grandchildren on the Swedish island of Smågö, Västervik. I’m also showing works sparked by the centenary of WWI and a range of monotypes, a specialised form of printmaking using acetate sheets and oil-based printing inks.”

Krysia received a classical training as a painter and printmaker at Camberwell College of Art, London, in the late 60s, working from the model, still lifes and landscapes using a variety of techniques including oil paint and print.

“I also studied works by the great masters. I paint from my studio in Shoreham and out in the landscape.

“I paint in a range of styles. I like experimenting. I work in oils and acrylics and watercolours – though not all at the same time! It all depends on the subject matter.

“If I am painting in the open air, I tend not to use acrylics because they dry too quickly especially outdoors. I like to use oils if I am outside.

“Painting is something I have always done.

“I was always drawing and painting as a little child, and I went to art school when I was 18.

“I started at Camberwell school of art when I was 18 in 1966. It was a good time to be there, but I was very focused on my painting.

“In those days if you were doing fine art and painting, lecturers would tend to encourage you to do an art teacher’s course afterwards because the powers that be thought you couldn’t possibly earn a living doing that. They thought that people doing graphics or textiles could, but not fine art. I did a year’s art teacher’s course and I have done a lot of teaching but I have always continued with my painting.

“For a long time, I didn’t sell any work and then when I was living in Brighton, I started opening my own house during the Brighton Festival and selling my own work there. I remember the first painting I sold. I wanted to hug the person who bought it!”

Krysia takes part in the Shoreham open houses art exhibitions and is also part of the Sussex Watercolour Society.

She is relishing the exhibition ahead: “It is quite amazing to be gathering all my work together. It is quite a privilege to have the opportunity to be able to show in such a wonderful space on my own.

“I am very excited about it and am selecting my work very carefully. I don’t want to just throw everything in there.

“I am skimming off the best stuff – and am really lucky to be able to show it.”

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