Frances Baskerville

Frances Baskerville at the Martin Batchelor Gallery Aug 29-Sept 30, 2015
francesbaskerville.com
Opening with artist in attendance Saturday August 29, 7-9pm

Frances graduated from the Fine Arts Program at Victoria College of Art in 2000. Her previous careers included education, librarianship and public service. Since graduation, Fran has exhibited in many solo, group and juried art shows in the Pacific Northwest. She received the Herbert Siebner Practicing Artist Award in 2005. Her public art commissions grace Royal Athletic Park and Gordon Head Recreation Centre. Her artwork is represented by Madrona Gallery in Victoria.

Fran’s wealth of life experience lends a passionate intensity to her artworks. Her large scale, acrylic paintings focus on the drama of being human. They spotlight tumultuous emotions and intense experiences. In recurring themes, her subjects struggle with tension and strive for release. Moments of deliverance are fleeting, illusive and precious. The artist’s concern about personal freedom moves into the political arena in several exhibition paintings. A member of a human rights group, she personalizes the plight of the Palestinian people.

Palestinian Olive Orchards, 28x36 in, acrylic on canvas, 2015

Destroying the Palestinian Olive Orchards, 24x36 in, acrylic on canvas, 2015

These two paintings depict the beauty, then the burning, of Palestinian olive orchards during a land-use conflict.
Above right, the conflagration erupts with strong reds and blues representing fire and smoke. A human presence is noted by a single figure dangerously close to the inferno. “The olive branch is a symbol of peace,” she says, “so it is heartbreaking to view the loss.”

Above left, Baskerville painted the ancient trees with their gnarled trunks and silvery leaves from photos.
She enlivens the rustling foliage with spontaneous brushwork and a lively palette of umber, yellow and green.
“The orchards were a joy to paint,” she says. The deep reddish soil offers a striking contrast to the shining mottled canopy.

Inside/Outside, 44x40 in, acrylic on canvas, 2003

Inside/Outside is a reinterpretation of Francisco de Goya’s The Giant (1810) in which a crowd flees an imposing and aggressive figure. In place of the giant, the artist shows a despondent Palestinian woman, seated with head in hand. The fleeing crowd, becomes the Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israel from 1987-1991.

The ominous drama of the scene is conveyed through dark blues and purples amid swirling lighter areas. The small gestural figures in the riotous crowd are vigorous with intent. Baskerville is influenced by historic paintings by Goya, Giotto and Delacroix. “I’m attracted to the animated moments, strong diagonals and richly vivid colours,” she says.

Nothing to Lose, 28x36 in, acrylic on canvas, 2015

Frances Baskerville in her studio, August, 2015

Post-graduation, the artist continues to critique and create in artist groups. For one year, she attended a weekly master class conducted by Paul Peregal to further her expressionist approach. During a recent trip to Vienna, Baskerville admired originals by German expressionist painters Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele. Before painting Nothing to Lose, Peregal advised Baskerville to do many energetic charcoal sketches to capture the menacing mood of the bulldozer. The resulting image is ominous, and hovers over the young boy throwing stones with monstrous intensity. The monumental machine, loosely painted in mechanical, sombre hues, confronts the viewer. Expressionist paintings like Nothing to Lose don’t supply all the details, explains Peregal, they merely suggest meaning and content. “The viewer is allowed to imagine and ruminate,” he says, “which lifts illustrative practice into the realm of fine art.”

One of Baskerville’s daughters is a talented professional dancer who serves as model and muse to the artist.

All that Matters, 38x30 in, acrylic on canvas, 2014

A stirring dance performance inspired this painting called All that Matters. Seeking to express the emotional experience, the artist used generous amounts of pigment, flowing freely and rapidly applied. Primary colours add dramatic accents. The closed eyes, facial tension and hunched posture add feeling to the artwork.

High Notes, 40x30 in, acrylic on canvas, 2012

In High Notes the artist applied vivid blocks of colour to abstract the dancer’s form. An acid green rectangle jumps forward between two jagged darker areas. A softer green tone accentuates the face and torso. “I enjoyed making these colour segments,” she says, “and using negative space to alter the figure ground relationship.”

Dancing at Willow’s Beach, 30x24, acrylic on canvas, 2012

This delightful portrait of three dancing figures includes one of Baskerville’s grandchildren. The artist uses bright colours and gestural brushwork to capture their joyful and spontaneous movements. The background melds together bright blue sky, sparkling ocean and tawny sand.

Glimpse of Muskoka, 14x10 in, acrylic on canvas, 2012

Baskerville spent many summers in the Muskoka area while growing up. As a teenager, she worked in a resort in the area. This exuberant abstraction, boldly tactile with smears of bright pigment, suggests the singing beauty of silver lakes, green forests and summer warmth.

Comments and photos of guests at the Opening reception on Saturday August 29, 7-9pm

The Wall, Jerusalem by Fran Baskerville, 6x6 feet, 2015

Michel Matil is an artist living in Victoria whose colourful portraiture investigates metaphysical reality. Michel stands with Fran's six by six foot mural showing Palestinians scaling a wall to pray at a holy site in Jerusalem. Painted from a photograph, this mural was completed a few days before the opening.
Michel is moved by the classical quality in Baskerville’s large work. “The balance of light and dark in the painting is impressive,” he says. The movement of men up the ladder to an unknown destination creates a sense of mystery. The viewer is engaged and drawn into the drama.

A Little Lesson, by Fran Baskerville, 2014.

Barbara Mitchell Pollock is a member of the Council of Canadians. She supports the mandate of the Independent Jewish Voices - to secure a just peace in Israel/Palestine. “There are many Jewish people like me who are critical of Israeli policies,” says Barbara. She believes human rights should be universal.

In A Little Lesson Barbara savours the richly textured blue/green palette. “I like the strong connection between the two men,” she says, “how they are listening and looking at each other.” Barbara believes the arts are an essential conduit for understanding other people and points of view. “Art, music and drama tell the stories we need to share.”

Passing Through Storm, by Fran Baskerville is SOLD.

Ross Gregson is a friend of the artist’s family. He stands with Passing Through Storm and ponders the nature of the connection between the two figures. The silhouette of the female figure appears monumental in the cropped composition. Her powerful stride and raised arms convey action and intrigue. “There is a lot of life and power in this painting,” he says, “and the story is open to interpretation.”

Destroying the Palestinian Olive Orchards by Fran Baskerville, 2015.

Jenny Waelti-Walters attended the Victoria College of Art with Baskerville. Her connection with the artist continues in a shared critique group.

“I’ve seen Fran’s painting evolve through various stages,” she says, “the latest being abstraction.” In Destroying the Palestinian Olive Orchards Jennifer admires the looseness and freedom of Baskerville’s expressive technique. “The composition is very good,” says Jenny. “This is a successful painting.” The fiery-reds and greens chronicle a raging forest fire; the lone figure adds a human touch to the tragedy. The artist’s strong social conscience is reflected in the theme, adds Jenny.