A renowned artist will exhibit at an event to raise funds for the victims of a devastating tsunami that hit the east coast of Japan two years ago.
Sylvia Paul, who exhibits with prestigious galleries such as Thompson's, is making some of her work available for the EWAA charity exhibition at La Galleria, Pall Mall, London between April 30 and May 4.
Up to 30 per cent of sales will be donated to the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Sylvia draws much inspiration from Japan and one of her Japanese inspired collages was exhibited and sold at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2009. Last year one of her paintings was judged best in Category 2d at the East West Art Award exhibition at La Galleria.
"I have visited Japan on three occasions with my Japanese daughter-in-law and her family," explains Sylvia, who is planning another trip later in the year. "As an artist the first experience was profound, and throughout my stay I was overwhelmed by the natural textures and colours of the interiors and exteriors of Kyoto, the ancient art work, and the exquisite tiny works of art adorning the plates at many meals. I took numerous photographs and collected scraps of paper along the way with a view to using them in some kind of painting on my return. These papers included tickets to some of the Kyoto gardens, sweet papers, origami papers and newspaper but also paper used to wrap kimonos. Drawing on my memories of Japan, which had merged and overlapped, I used some of my paper collection in a series of paintings which I have found inspiring and challenging.
"In the paintings various themes emerged, such as the greyness of the cities, and the stones in the Kyoto gardens. Also the shapes of stone lanterns and tower blocks. The colours and texture of the sand and gravel gardens and the natural feel of the tatami mat. The origami paper is used in small fragments to symbolise all the beautiful things of bright colour that are scattered amongst the neutral tones both natural and manmade," she concludes.
