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The arrival of Scarlett Raven
Kate Hewson and baby Scarlett Raven Hewson
The intention of this commissioned portrait was to create a likeness of Kate and her new baby Scarlett, but also reflect on the universal theme of motherhood.
The arrival of a first baby, whether planned or not, creates enormous upheaval in a woman’s life. When I met Kate and Scarlett, I expected a certain amount of nervousness and chaos….I remember back to my first days as a new mum. But although Kate had not had an easy time, with feeding and digestive problems for Scarlett and very little sleep for herself, she was remarkably cheerful and composed. Not showing any of the signs of an awkward or self-conscious first-time mum, she sat in her armchair radiating serenity and contentment and a deep love for this tiny being tugging at her breast.
As I sat watching them, the light falling diagonally from the window, I was reminded of the Madonna and child images from the Renaissance. I decided to elevate this every-day, contemporary scene of mother and child, to an iconic level, to highlight the preciousness and importance of this time together.
The intention of this commissioned portrait was to create a likeness of Kate and her new baby Scarlett, but also reflect on the universal theme of motherhood.
The arrival of a first baby, whether planned or not, creates enormous upheaval in a woman’s life. When I met Kate and Scarlett, I expected a certain amount of nervousness and chaos….I remember back to my first days as a new mum. But although Kate had not had an easy time, with feeding and digestive problems for Scarlett and very little sleep for herself, she was remarkably cheerful and composed. Not showing any of the signs of an awkward or self-conscious first-time mum, she sat in her armchair radiating serenity and contentment and a deep love for this tiny being tugging at her breast.
As I sat watching them, the light falling diagonally from the window, I was reminded of the Madonna and child images from the Renaissance. I decided to elevate this every-day, contemporary scene of mother and child, to an iconic level, to highlight the preciousness and importance of this time together.
Looking in on the Andersons... elements of a friendship
Howard and Denice Anderson have been friends of ours since before we were married, when Howard and my husband John ran a building design practice together. Howard’s architecture is filled with light, fascinating spaces and unexpected details. He is also an artist, and commissioned me to produce a large work for their recently completed house. His brief to me ran something like this:
3 panels - 120cm x150cm each. On the left, seen first as you walk through the house, an abstract design, conveying something of the house interior. In the middle, a representation of the garden, possibly with figures in it, and on the right, hung closest to the north facing window, a depiction of the bush that adjoins their block. The paintings should in some way connect to the light and the outdoors.
I began the project as an exercise in abstraction. Compositionally, each painting is intended to stand alone, but in order to tie the three separate ideas together, I visualized a giant origami, with diagonal overlapping sheets of paper representing shards of light, the left end folded over into a white rectangle, the house. As I progressed, it developed into a portrait of Howard and Denice, and of many things we share in common: a love of art, design, gardens, the Japanese aesthetic, light, birds, and the patterns of nature.
3 panels - 120cm x150cm each. On the left, seen first as you walk through the house, an abstract design, conveying something of the house interior. In the middle, a representation of the garden, possibly with figures in it, and on the right, hung closest to the north facing window, a depiction of the bush that adjoins their block. The paintings should in some way connect to the light and the outdoors.
I began the project as an exercise in abstraction. Compositionally, each painting is intended to stand alone, but in order to tie the three separate ideas together, I visualized a giant origami, with diagonal overlapping sheets of paper representing shards of light, the left end folded over into a white rectangle, the house. As I progressed, it developed into a portrait of Howard and Denice, and of many things we share in common: a love of art, design, gardens, the Japanese aesthetic, light, birds, and the patterns of nature.
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