I gained it so
By climbing slow
By catching at the twigs that grow
Between the bliss and me.
We’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of ‘slow art’. The positive side to some 18 months of a slower life is that we are seeing the magical in the everyday once more. When this philosophy seeps into all the corners of our minds, everything is better.
But it’s not easy to be an artist. There’s training, trial, error and interruptions, not to mention late hours over work that refuses to comply. As with anything worthwhile, it can take a long time to figure out what must be conveyed and how to go about it – but the end result is an evocative reminder that we’re not wasting our time.
In the same way, time plays a part in the appreciation of art. Like music, the best pieces are those that invite the viewer in for a slow realisation of truth, beauty and meaning. The words ‘Between the bliss and me’ come from a poem by Emily Dickinson and perfectly encapsulate this beautiful climb for both artist and viewer – a mindful reminder that nature is both our beginning and our end, and to enjoy life’s journey as much as any achievement.
I gained it so
By climbing slow
By catching at the twigs that grow
Between the bliss and me.
‘Using these subtly powerful words as inspiration, we have gathered a selection of paintings, drawings and sculptures by some of the most exciting artists working today that invite contemplation and reassess the concept of landscape art – one of the most ancient of subject matters that is still as fresh as ever, and constantly evolving,’ James Elwes
Featured artists: Freya Douglas-Morris, Hannah Brown, Stanley Donwood, Robyn Litchfield, Lee Johnson, Marie-Elisabeth Merlin, Sue Williams A’Court & Domenica de Ferranti
With its distinctive green hues, the FAB Building (formerly the Furniture Cave) on the King’s Road has been a creative institution for decades in the heart of Chelsea – an area once dubbed ‘the artists’ borough’, home to the likes of Rossetti, Holman Hunt, Turner, Whistler and Singer Sargent, ranging to Oscar Wilde, the Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones and Vivienne Westwood. The legacy goes on.
