Joy Girvin

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• Joy Girvin

"Drawn to landscape, gardens and seascapes, I search out a fleeting light effect and try to make it last longer, or to capture on canvas an ordinary moment or event that often goes by unnoticed and express its inner beauty through a kind of resonance of colour, echoing forms and marks to bring the subject to life.  Inspired by the strong light, colour and rich history of painting in Italy, I have been developing a series on work based on Italian gardens and ancient sites such as in Florence and Rome. Recently I have been painting seascapes to link with my love of the sea and sailing particularly in Western Scotland and the Hebrides. Since it is difficult to sketch and paint whilst the boat is in motion, I go back to places visited later to consolidate ideas for further painting."

‘Girvin is good at catching the genius loci of the places depicted, as could Paul Nash, and also as in much of his work, too, the places are largely unpeopled, but clearly made by man, who is never far away.  The spaces in most of the garden pictures are small with an atmosphere which is contemplative and enigmatic, mysterious and ambiguous; they seek an explanation which never quite appears.’  David Brown, Assistant Keeper, Modern Collection, Tate Gallery.

Joy studied Fine Art at the University of Northumberland and at the Royal Academy Schools, London.  She was awarded an Italian Government Scholarship to study in Rome, and her work has subsequently won numerous other awards - Tyne Tees Northern Open Purchase Prize, British Institute Award for Printmaking,  David Murray Landscape Award,  Lloyds Bank Young Printmakers Award, Camden Annual Print Prize, Elizabeth Greenshields Award and South Bank Show Minor Prize.

Solo Exhibitions

1996, 1994, 1993
Cadogan Contemporary Gallery, London
1991
Blason Gallery, London
1989
University of Northumbria Gallery