It’s undeniable! Landscapes, featuring views of nature, are the most prevalent academic category used by creators… and local impressionist artist Linda Bachman is no exception. Her scenes are identifiable, moody and unpredictable. They evoke a dreamlike suggestion, presenting unusual lighting with unearthly colours (morose taupes juxtaposed with bizarre blues) creating an inventive mix of fact and fantasy.
Bachman describes her creative stimulation for this particular series, “The spirit of natural forms continues to offer beauty back — from the start of a life cycle to after the end stage of a day, season or life. Mountains to pebbles, tree seedlings to sculptural driftwood and sun rise to set. I love that the textures of every rock, tree or unique sky captures my attention and I want to paint it.”
Always searching out the little wonders in nature that generate visual inspiration, Bachman gets a certain internal feeling that positively puts her in the mood to create. Then, without too much planning and some quick sketching, she goes straight into painting suggestions with soft washes of colour.
“I do like to play with an idea that starts forming on the canvas by accident or sometimes refocus from my original visual idea. Everything needs to balance for me — the colour, composition and general sense of the piece. I do tend to go towards a whimsical, illustrative style, but there are no set rules for me when I am creating an original expression,” she says.
Bachman enjoys the freedom of exploring and hiking in our coastal woodlands or beaches, exciting her compulsion to project that feeling of pleasure into her paintings. Her artistic impressions are based on reality but infused with her recognizable, moody style that borders on the surreal!
Bachman favours the multi-purpose aspects of acrylics but is also interested in new challenges such as working on larger, mixed-media pieces. She admits, “My creative inspirations have always been applied to various mediums and increasing throughout my adult life. I am sure it is my artistic energy that keeps me sane.”
Bachman’s “Rocks, Roots and Sky… Seems to be All Connected!?” exhibit is on display at the Library Foyer Gallery until May 5.
For more information about Bachman’s work, email [email protected]
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In the cases and on the north wall the eighth annual Fundraiser Exhibit is also on display this month, with more than 60 artworks donated by “Artists of the Gallery.” Come and feast your eyes on wonders of weaving, pottery, painting, photography, jewelry and sculpture. With a $50 donation, sponsors receive an invitation to the Foyer Gallery Soirée, where your name is entered into a draw for these pieces of handcrafted original artwork. The artful samplings, valued at up to $1,000, are up for grabs in the exciting art draw at the annual fundraiser gala on May 6 at 6 p.m. Shhhh… this event is the best kept secret for art enthusiasts in Squamish!
Foyer Gallery Friends sponsorship forms are available online at squamish.bclibrary.ca. Forms can be mailed to the Squamish Public Library or dropped at the library front desk. Forms received by May 4 will be entered in a special early-bird draw.
Toby Jaxon is curator of the Library Foyer Gallery. She can be reached at [email protected]
