R&S Pride FEB 223.qxp 05/01/2021 13:42 Page 18
ARTIST KAY JOHNS
NATURE in the
FRAME For Lincolnshire’s Kay Johns, home is where the heart is… or rather, where the art is. From her studio in the village of Threekingham, Kay and husband David delight in taking their work on the road, even if 2020 was a little bit different… Words: Rob Davis.
“I’M REALLY OBSESSED,” Says Kay Johns. “Honestly, I’d go crazy if I didn’t paint every day.” We’re in her studio on the first floor of her Threekingham farmhouse, equidistant from Sleaford, Boston Bourne and Grantham. It’s a misty old morning, but that lovely flat diffused light is ideal for painting… which is why husband David and I have to drag Kay, kicking and screaming, from her easel to have a chat! Prior to my untimely interruption Kay was face-to-face with a mouse… not in the house, thankfully, but on the canvas. Kay’s work almost entirely consists of the kind of British wildlife we know and love; hares, foxes, pheasants, mice… though the odd jungle animal has wandered past Threekingham in recent years, affording Kay the chance to paint elephants and giraffes as they graze the Serengeti-like landscape of Sempringham fen. Her work is utterly magical, absolutely full of character and an unequivocal joy to look at. I’m no expert and I’m certainly no artist but I have spent a good deal of time puzzling over what makes Kay’s work so instantly likeable. All I can conclude is that quite beyond the technical quality of her work, Kay has an uncanny knack of understanding the subject anatomically and appreciating each animal’s character. 18
“Any artist that tells you they don’t research an animal’s physiology online is probably a fibber,” says Kay. “But the best source material for an artist is observing an animal for yourself in its natural habitat. We go on lots of country walks, and I find myself just watching each creature’s mannerism.” “I don’t work from a photograph, I take a creature and imagine it in a setting, giving each one an expression that’s commensurate with its character. If something about an animal’s position or expression isn’t right, you’ll know it. You might not necessarily see what’s wrong, but you’ll know that something isn’t quite right.” “Even subjects like dogs are so different from breed to breed that it’s important to observe and understand their character. A Spaniel might look explosive; a Labrador might look faithful; a Dachshund might look highly strung.” >>
