29/07/2026
Liz Orchard is our featured artist for the next month. Her beautifully considered paintings are showcased in the main gallery window, bringing a sense of tranquillity and calm that perfectly complements the gallery space.
In Liz's own words:
Landscape and Observation
Most days, I walk through the Sussex countryside, observing changes in weather, light and season. These regular walks inform the way I see and respond to the landscape. I often pause to look closely, take photographs or make quick sketches, using these observations as starting points for work in the studio.
Patterns, Textures and Environmental Change
My paintings respond to the patterns, textures, colours and forms that change throughout the year, including the growth of crops, chalk paths across the Downs, and shifting light over fields and sea. I am interested in the beauty of this landscape, as well as its vulnerability: the visible effects of human activity and the wider pressures of climate change. Being in this environment gives me a strong sense of freedom, renewal and connection to the natural world.
In the studio, I explore these experiences through the process of painting. Initial sweeping marks and charcoal gestures help establish structure, movement and form, allowing me to translate observed or remembered moments into a painted image.
I build each painting through layers. Thin paint introduces both abstract and descriptive elements, which develop gradually as the work progresses. Thicker, more expressive passages are added later, creating marks and traces that connect the finished painting back to its original source in the landscape.
Background and Practice
I studied Fine Art at Solent University and have worked primarily in oils since then. My paintings have been exhibited in London and locally, and my practice continues to develop through experimentation, observation and an ongoing engagement with the Sussex landscape.
Our "Late Summer" Show ends 20 Sept
Tues to Sun: 10am-5pm
Chalk Gallery, 2 Station Street, Lewes BN7 2DA
https://www.chalkgallerylewes.co.uk/
