Victoria Fletcher is a British artist who lives in South Northamptonshire. She works from a studio framed by the garden she has planted and fields all around. Working predominantly in oil on canvas, she paints both en plein air and from memory. Her landscapes are expansive and dynamic; spontaneous brushstrokes alive to the moment. Frequently, they feature disappearing paths, the play of light, or capture the note of the season. Her still lifes seem to grow out of the canvas, filled with the energy of someone who lives closely with her subject. Like a gardener, she tends to each painting and composition in its own time, planting the seed of an idea until it is ready to unfold. As the work comes to life in the energetic rush of painting, Victoria expresses the wondrous interconnectivity of life.
“Often, because I do not want to lose the immediacy of the moment, I will just paint it straight away. I don’t do a sketch beforehand, I just want to get that feeling straight on the page, using the brushstroke as a mark that goes with the feeling. To me its about being in the moment and how you respond to what is in front of you. I suppose I am trying to express the thrill of seeing something grow, blossom and bloom, of reaching towards the light and coming to life. I feel constantly in awe of nature, and I have journals and sketch books that are full of ideas and notes made from constant observation.”
“I am just as intrigued by the shadows as I am by the play of light through the leaves. I am drawn to strong shadows, which often give structure to the paintings. This is clearest in the winter; I find I am drawn along illuminated pathways that lead into the woods, into the heart of the landscape or interior woodland spaces. Perhaps I am following the light, or looking for what nurtures and gives sanctuary.”
“Sometimes I paint the same thing over and over again simply because it brings joy – like that absolute joy at the end of winter, in February, when the snowdrops ping up, just to remind you that nature is miraculous.”