Lewes exhibition is exciting U-turn for artist Riga Forbes

Riga, who lives at Laughton, near Lewes, explains: “Motherland is an exhibition of more than 20 oil paintings, mostly on canvas, which explore the dynamic beauty, atmosphere and fragility of the landscape.

“Many of the works are inspired by the British environment, the Sussex Downs, the Northumbrian and Scottish lakes and hills, the sheltering woodlands.

“Colour, light and shadow are key ingredients of expression for me, and this display of paintings is very much about my journey in using these visual tools as an emotive language.

“As a body of work it expresses my deep love for this land, highlighting both environmental issues as well as celebrating the vibrant elemental forces within our natural world.

“Anyone with an interest in art and nature will enjoy this show. My wish is that visitors will feel a renewed sense of connection with the wilder aspects of our amazing landscape and be inspired to go out and experience more of this in the real.”

Riga added: “I trained in fine art painting at Chelsea College of Art, London Institute, during the 1990s, graduating with both installation and painting work.

“Since then I have publicly exhibited installation work internationally.

“More recently I have shown paintings in a range of spaces including the Art wave festival Sussex.”

Riga added: “There has been a big gap for me in the years between postgraduate art practice and returning to painting.

“During this time I trained to teach and taught art, raised a family and wrote and published books on birth and motherhood.

“So becoming a professional artist has been a truly exciting U-turn in my career so far.””

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