Rhubarb

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10 St Edward’s rhuba rb
OSE exhibits at the NorthWall
How would you explain your
relationship with Port Meadow
andWythamWoods which recur
throughout the exhibition?
I grew up spending a lot of time in Wytham
Woods; I am a real country girl! The
atmosphere used to seep into my mind
and create wonderful memories. I recreate
this experience in my paintings. Painting
landscapes has become my obsession, and
they have become part of a family, whether
they are blue, orange, or pink, they are all
so important to me.
The style of your landscapes is very
abstract, has your work always been
this way?
It’s become more abstract over time, but I
have always enjoyed landscape as a subject
matter. I used to be far more realist, but
found that it restricted my creativity. I enjoy
how abstraction allows elements of the
paintings to seem mysterious, and
although I see something
in the paint, I love
how someone can see
something totally different.
My father also paints
landscapes, and although
his style is more realist
than mine, we spend a lot
of time talking about art –
he is like a tutor to me.
You have worked on
this project for a year
and you’re now only a
few hours away from
your first private
viewing, how do you
feel?
I used to feel quite fearless
when it came to my work.
I didn’t mind if someone
didn’t like something, but
now I think I’m a little
less fearless! Art is a bit
of you, your soul, it’s you
on paper, an exposed
expression of you which is very
revealing and intimate. When I’m painting
it’s like meditating, but I’m very excited
about the show.
Miranda Stewart (D, 2009-2011),
recently hosted her first solo exhibition
at The North Wall. Getting ready for her
private viewing, Miranda, an Anthropology
student at the University of Exeter, sat
down with the editor of rh ubarb to reveal
her creative motives and future ambitions:
I have been preparing for this exhibition
for about a year now, and it’s something
that I made a very deliberate decision about.
I studied Fine Art Foundation for a year at
Falmouth, and exhibited as part of group
shows, but this is my first solo exhibition.
My sister was very encouraging at the start
as I had done a few commissions, and I
missed being creative in this way.
How does painting fit in with your
other creative ambitions?
I enjoy acting, and recently played Abigail
in The Crucible at University, but acting
unlike painting is not about exposing who
you are as a person. I really want to be a
director, and have just written a play that
I hope to take to Edinburgh after testing
it out at University next term. I hope to
paint always, whether anyone buys any
or not. At School when learning how to
produce portraits I wanted to focus on the
landscape; it’s a part of me.
Miranda’s exhibition Expressions of the
Oxford Landscape exhibited at The North
Wall during February 2015. Further
information about her work can be found
at:
Miranda Stewart
f e a t u r e s