Yvonne Coomber

My rainbow drenched paintings sing of wild tumbling hedgerows, tangled meadowlands, open moorlands and magical forests.  They whisper of love.  My intention is to transport the viewer to an effervescent place of happiness that is literally saturated in joy.  A place where paint smiles. The materials I use are extremely important.  A mixture of oils, inks, glosses, glazes, fine glitter and gold leaf are applied in a multitude of layers.  Washes are built up to form a work that is infused with colour.  Paintbrushes, sponges, rags, palette knives and fingers are all used to create the finished piece.  The result is a kaleidoscopic jewel like composition of rich pigments that prismatically opens up to reveal the radiance and beauty of naturaI always work outside, so lacy ice and howling gales have as much influence on the final painting as scorching sunshine and gentle breezes. The weather in a very direct way dictates how and where the paint falls. The creation of the piece is a very physically demanding process that requires my all.  The initial marks evolve from an energetic dance around the canvas and the process is full of raw emotion and passion. In the early stages of an image I throw, rub, dribble and pour rich stains onto linen responding to internal and external landscapes as they unfold themselves. However, in the final piece there is also a quiet calm and peacefulness present in each image. A place for the soul to rest. A place for dreams to unfold. Spontaneous and instinctively my paintings demand risk, courage and a weaving of magic out of what emerges. Surrendering to the canvas I touch the place where mystery lies.I was brought up on a farm and spent much of my childhood in Ireland, my mother’s homeland. Inspired by the world and all it contained, I traveled widely in my twenties with a thirst for exploration and discovery.  During this period I spent time living and working in Australia, Africa and Europe.  One of my most formative journeys was spent with a horse-drawn community in England, discovering ancient, sacred and forgotten parts of our land.

My relentless spirit of curiosity and deep enquiry led me to pursue a degree in Philosophy and Literature at Brighton University.  A formal fine art training in Sussex was the springboard for my paintings.  I now live in Devon with my husband and fellow artist Mike Boyer and have four children.