Q U E R C U S
G A L L E R Y
CLARISSA GALLIANO Single Stem Botanical Drawings
CLARISSA GALLIANO Single Stem Botanical Drawings
quercusgallery.co.uk
Clarissa Galliano specialises in large-scale charcoal botanical drawings. Her captivating observations of British flora celebrate the intricacies of natural structure and form. Clarissa is drawn to the architectural aspects of flowers and plants; these drawings do not solely highlight the decorative. Her motivation for increasing the scale of the images is to amplify the abstract qualities of tone and pattern. At the heart of these botanical ‘portraits’ is a juxtaposition of the fragile reality of the flora and the bold abstract statements of the drawing. Selected drawings from this series were of the exhibition 'Formations' at Quercus Gallery 12 June - 10 July 2021 along with work by the jewellers Zoe Arnold and Suzanne Potter. 'Formations' refers both to Clarissa’s interest in botanical structures and references the artist’s creative process in the way the drawings are formed. Often Gesso is applied and worked into, retaining a visual history of decision-making marks beneath. In this sense each drawing becomes a chronicle of its own journey, slowly revealing the twists and turns of stems, leaves and petals through the artist’s distinctive construction of charcoal marks. These energetic records of botanical formations prompt us to notice and value the humble plants and flowers that surround and enrich our everyday lives. The single stems or flower groups are presented in suspended form so we are confronted with their inner workings, faults and folds. Their monumentality gives them a commanding presence yet they preserve a surprise and intimacy, like a giant precious stem revealed from between a press. Originally from Toronto, Clarissa studied Fine Art at Exeter College of Art in the 1980s and has exhibited widely across the UK including at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and as a member of the Buckinghamshire Art Society. She now lives and works in Cookham.
Evie Williams Quercus Gallery June 2021
Scabious
Dandelion
Agapanthus
Twisted Artichokes
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Knapweed
Monarda
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Unnamed Seedhead
Ribwort Plantain
Blown Dandelion
Artichoke
Buddleia
Monarda Seedhead
Bottlebrush
Teasel
Primula Candleabra
CLARISSA GALLIANO Single Stem Botanical Drawings Charcoal on paper Paper Size: 123 x 77 cm Framed size: 128 x 82 cm Framed drawings priced at £1,800 Unframed: £1,500 Framing can be arranged.
For further information or to book a viewing, please contact Evie Williams
07738 929089 evie@quercusgallery.co.uk quercusgallery.co.uk Mystery Seedhead
QUERCUS GALLERY 15 Silver Street Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1JZ
