Artist Spotlight: Deborah Walker
/ Royal Society of Marine Artists
The Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2022 opens Thursday 22 September and runs until Saturday 1 October but is already available to view online.
This exhibition presents works inspired by the sea and marine environment, including harbours and shorelines, traditional craft and contemporary shipping, creeks, beaches and wildlife. We spoke to Deborah Walker RSMA, who has a number of paintings in the exhibition, about her wonderful work:
Your seascapes are so impactful and atmospheric - what draws you to painting the sea and how do you go about capturing water in all its varied manifestations?
The sea has fascinated me since childhood, but if I’m honest, it scares me a bit. I have huge respect for its relentless independent power. Over the years my work has become about 'edges'. The water's edge, the edge of a cliff, an aerial view from the edge of a building or viewing platform. When standing at an edge, where moving further forward is either impossible or inadvisable, it focuses the eye and the mind and fills the senses, and maybe this is what attracts me to the water. Many of my paintings deal with an immediate huge space, or an expanse of water before the eye comes to rest on a focal point. Other paintings concentrate on an immediate change in the foreground. Either way, both have consequences if I take one more step!
Are you able to describe your creative process? How much do you capture in person and work from life, and how much do you work in the studio and from photographs and sketches?
I work initially on location with a sketchbook and camera. The camera captures the light in an instant and also technical detail. I take hundreds of images at any one time. The sketchbook slows down time and provides space for contemplation where I can absorb that sense of place we all seek. I enjoy returning to familiar places, as each time I visit I see and learn something new. Back in the studio, I process the images, mainly by cropping, to find compositions and distil my ideas. I then work with my sketchbooks and multiple photographs to paint from.
'Wet Feet' Deborah Walker RI RSMA, 48 x 110cm, £3,800
What are your favourite materials to work with?
I'm predominantly a watercolourist, although I usually work with ink in sketchbooks. I love the alchemy and technical difficulty of watercolour.
Where do you draw inspiration from and who are your favourite artists?
I draw inspiration directly from the landscape, seeking out watery subjects wherever I go. A lifelong favourite artist will be no surprise, JMW Turner. His watercolours are timeless. One of my earliest childhood memories is of being mesmerised by Turner's paintings in the National Gallery. I also read a lot about contemporary painters and have too many 'favourites' to mention!
'Littoral I' Deborah Walker RI RSMA, 33 x 33 cm, £1,200
Within your work you create a balance between representational and abstract elements - this can particularly be seen in your pieces ‘Littoral I’ and ‘Littoral II’ amongst the textures in the rocks and the sea foam - how do you go about creating this balance?
I'm not sure how this balance between representational and abstract elements has arrived and it is not something I have intentionally worked towards. I'm aware that from a distance my paintings appear very realistic, but as you get closer you see the freedom of mark-making that makes up the component parts. I've always liked to think I simply try to paint what I see and the variety and concentration in my mark-making has developed over years of playing and experimenting with paint to represent that.
Are you able to speak of the community and opportunities that being a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists has provided for you?
Being a member of the RSMA has enabled me to meet like-minded souls who all share a passion for painting marine subjects. It is always an honour to exhibit with such a group of highly esteemed artists.
'From the Shard' Deborah Walker RI RSMA, 83 x 109 cm, £4,200
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Deborah and her work. Make sure you take a look at the RSMA Annual Exhibition online, and we would love to see you in the gallery too! The exhibition opens Thursday 22 September.