Zoë Ashbrook
BRITISH PAINTER
Inspired by memories of land, sea and sky, Ashbrook's aim is not to replicate scenes but to transfer into the work a sense of the experience of place, memory and the passage of time.
Read more
Observation is key to her experimental practise, capturing moments and responses to the experiences felt through photographs, video and sketchbook drawings. These work as tools, helping to underscore features that draw Ashbrook's attention, building her awareness together with moments of quiet, mindful observation that enrich the memory and deepen the experience of connection to a place.
In the studio memories are explored. Drawings recollect and express observations captured within the landscape. Quick intuitive studies reveal unconscious memory, providing a visual language which is incorporated into further work.
Working in layers, Ashbrook's paintings evolve organically through a repetition of adding and subtracting, scrapes, scratches, delicate and bold movements. Providing the opportunity for unexpected developments, serendipitous responses emerge while creating a rich tapestry of mark-making and history, much like the landscape itself.
Her goal is to create a painting that compels the viewer to look closer, to be rewarded each time with a new discovery nestled within the delicate subtlety of colour shifts and the quieter, softer details. Through this, the observer can find their own unique connection to the work.
Originally from Cambridge, Ashbrook is now based in Gloucestershire where she works from her home studio. She completed her MA in Fine Art in 2023 with distinction.
2021 The Contemporary Landscape, Group Exhibition, The Paragon Gallery
2021 Surrey Autumn Contemporary Art Fair
2020 Broadway Arts Festival
Original Mixed Media on Canvas
Image Size: 70 × 80cm
£1125
Or £112.50 per month using Own Art payable in 10 equal interest-free monthly instalments