They have known and admired each other’s work for over 30 years. One (British) lives and works in the Netherlands, the other (Swiss/German) in France.
This exhibition is the result of their remote collaboration. Silently thinking of the other while working, subconsciously echoing each other’s shapes and lines, playing with ideas about shadow and light, enjoying a mutual sense of wonder and respect for their materials. Dorothy works with textiles and color, Regula with clay and smoke.
You are most welcome to meet Dorothy and Regula during the opening on Sunday 4 September in the gallery from 2 pm. This exhibition can be seen with us throughout the month of September.
Dorothy Wedderburn
Using remnants from discarded garments, together with old found fabrics, as a basis for her work, Dorothy cuts, patches, prints and sews them into vibrant multi layered textile collages. These wall pieces invite the viewer in through their different layers to a quiet parallel world – a symbolic reference to the sense of wonder one might feel discovering new places and people. With her work Dorothy alludes to the many cultural diversities she has experienced throughout her life, while simultaneously drawing attention to the common thread that unites us as a species. While local smells, colours, shapes and stories may seem to differ, our human desires and senses are so similar.
Regula Brotbek, Burgundy, France
All my pieces are polished with a spoon or stone several times, both inside and outside. After drying they are given a first firing in an electric kiln. I then glaze them and they are fired to 1300° in a gas kiln. After this second firing I prepare the pieces by protecting some parts with a porcelain slip, thus allowing smoke to pass through the unprotected areas. Finally the pieces are fired for a third time, in a wood-fired kiln where they remain for 30 hours so that the smoke can find it’s way deep into the clay. This can result in a metallic effect.
I love to play with shadow and light. The new ‘skin’ gets it’s colour from the smoke, and it’s shine from the polishing. Very simple and so complicated at the same time. The pieces are mostly hand built and I love that the slowness – coil building –polishing – protecting – means that I stay with every piece for quite a while….
Luxury to live my life that way.