Luscious colours and dusty textures
Words: Tous Mag | Image Credits (unless otherwise stated): © Sammi Lynch |
Stoke Newington is a far stretch from where Sammi Lynch originally grew up, in North West of England, but she’s never too far from a landscape that captures her imagination and sparks start to fly. The soft pastels that harmoniously blend on the surface of her works evoke a strong sense of nostalgia - with their dreamlike quality - almost as if a memory has been captured on paper. Rich and velvety in texture, each piece is reliably indulgent with layers of luscious colours and a dusty texture that arrests your attention.
There’s a delicate quality to these works which makes them even more bewitching. Pastels are a force to be reckoned with - they’re exceptionally sensitive to touch, even the faintest brush or stoke to the surface will smudge the imagery - their volatile nature keeps the process exciting but, more importantly, to successfully work with the material becomes a triumphant feat.
Pastels are made up of almost entirely pure pigment - with some fillers added to bind the material together - which makes them one of the purest art forms to work with. The lack of chemicals allows the works to live a long lifetime, unlike oil paints that will crack and taint over time, if properly preserved. It’s no surprise that prominent artists in history - such as Edgar Degas, Childe Hassam, Mary Cassatt and more - have explored the medium in great lengths and one can see why Sammi Lynch, and many other contemporary artists, are hypnotised by pastels, too.
Learn more about the landscape and still-life artist in the interview, below!
Tous Mag: Where's home and what's your favourite thing about living there?
Sammi Lynch: I’m originally from the North West of England, but I’ve been living in Stoke Newington, London for the last few years. I love being a 5 minute walk from Walthamstow Marshes and Lee Valley. My boyfriend and I have been looking after a dog for the last few months and have spent a lot of time walking through the wetlands watching the seasons change. As much as I love London, I still feel very at home up North and enjoy seeing the sky open up onto familiar farmland as I’m on the train back.
Tous Mag: Could you tell us a little about you and your art background?
Sammi Lynch: I completed an Art Foundation at Manchester School of Art before studying Illustration and Animation (BA) at Kingston School of Art. Since graduating I have worked in set design whilst also developing my drawing and painting practice.
Tous Mag: What mediums do you use and why do you enjoy working in this way?
Sammi Lynch: I generally work in either soft pastel or oil paint. I find that there’s a fluidity in the way that you can push the materials around that is really enjoyable to work with.
I have spent time experimenting with print making techniques like etching and lithography. I appreciate the serendipity of the print making process and the variety of marks that can be achieved through these processes.
During lockdown a lot of my usual set design work stopped for a while, I really missed the three-dimensional and tactile aspects of this work. This led me to join a local ceramic studio and I have found the medium in equal parts challenging, disappointing and rewarding. It feels satisfying to be using my hands again whilst learning something new.
Tous Mag: How would you describe your work and do you think this would be echoed from a viewer who looks at your work, too?
Sammi Lynch: My work is often about the sense of awe you sometimes feel in vast nature or a new city, I tend to emphasise the dreamy aspects of landscape forms and their colours. I hope that they give the viewer a longing to be outside roaming around.
Drawing from life is a big part of my practice but I also work in the studio a lot, drawing and painting from sketches, photographs, literature and memory. I think this comes through in my work because the images are not clear ‘representations’ of places, but, impressions that build up different layers of experience.
Tous Mag: What themes do you pursue?
Sammi Lynch: A lot of my work aims to evoke a sense of place and memory. I like to examine the development of sentimentality and nostalgia, often centred around being in nature.
In my personal practice I keep sketchbook drawings of the people, animals, and places close to me.
Tous Mag: What's your biggest ambition and how do you keep yourself motivated to get there?
Sammi Lynch: I hope to continue making work that feels integrated with my life. I also want to have my own dog, borrowing a dog has made me aware of how greatly their company improves my general wellbeing and motivation.
Tous Mag: What memorable responses have you had to your work?
Sammi Lynch: I like when people tell me that my drawings remind them of a place or a time in their life, it reminds me that images can communicate sometimes better than words. I think it is interesting that a viewer can create their own meaning from my work.
Tous Mag: Name something you love and why?
Sammi Lynch: I love swimming in lakes, it was only in the last few years I discovered their primary advantage over the sea. Lakes usually have a lot of shade, so I can swim in them without getting sunburnt. This year we discovered some really great lakes just up the river from where we are living and spent the last warm day of summer swimming with the geese and lying on the banks basking in the sun.
Tous Mag: You seem to be inspired by places you've visited. What's your favourite or most inspirational place?
Sammi Lynch: Trips to Italy and Spain have inspired me to draw because of the vividness of the colours and light. On the other hand, the familiarity of my hometown and its surrounding landscapes also encourage me to draw, so that I can take physical memories of these places and people away with me.
Tous Mag: If we asked you to give our readers an important message, generally, what would it be?
Sammi Lynch: Drink enough water and be kind to yourself.
