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It was a long drive again to the other side
of the Island for Gary and I to visit Lesley Riddihough, our
artist for this week.
Lesley lives in a nice little finca in the
countryside near Sant Joan. But as it was also a sunny, bright
day, almost thirty degrees centigrade, on one of the most
splendid and colourful springs we have had for decades (because
of the plentiful April rains) the trip was rather enjoyable.
Several times we were tempted to stop the
car to take photos of the exuberance of different plants and
flowers, completely covering the fields with their bright
colours. The beauty of our Islands this spring has got to
be seen to be believed.
Living in this environment, it is easy to
understand how a sensitive soul can become a real and solid
artist from the bottom of the heart, even if the painting
techniques have to be learned along the way.
At the house we had the welcome of three
generations of splendid women (one of them, about four or
five years old, seated on her swing with her ballet dress
on, like a little queen. She was a real poem!). The intense
aroma of the orange tree blossoms and a jasmine that grows
by the entrance made this moment very pleasant.
Lesley's studio is on the top floor, full
of light, with the three typical arches of the local "casa
payesa". It is full of painting materials, oil paint
tubes, brushes, untouched canvas, some already-started new
paintings and some ready to be hung, hopefully in her next
exhibition, from the 1st July in Santa Eulari.
The oil paintings that I was allowed to
see were still life, also full of colours, with special emphasis
on the natural details and the reflection of the light, that
I consider a very actual, but also very personal style. They
are happy paintings. I felt good observing them.
On our way back to Sant Antoni, Gary and
I couldn't take a pleasant smile off our faces when we looked
at each other and both agreed that the trip and the time we
spent with Lesley had been really worthwhile living. Good
memories to keep.
Lesley was born in Leamington Spa in the
middle of England. She studied dress design at Birmingham
College of Art and in 1962 went to Paris and found a job modelling
for Lanvin. The next summer, hitchhiking around Spain with
a friend, they came to Eivissa.
"At the end of our visit I heard about
Formentera, but there was no time to go there. I was determined
to come back again. The magic of these islands had started
working on me"
Five years later, after many summers spent
snorkelling in Formentera with her American husband, she separated
from him and came with her small daughter, Shani, to live
there. At first, to survive, she dyed the natural hand spun
wool and crocheted jackets, then designed many kinds of clothes
and opened a shop with some friends in "Es Pujols"
(Formentera).
"It was a wonderful time to bring up
children on that small island. There was a whole group of
us, it was so easy living amongst the people there, they are
so welcoming and relaxed".
In 1981, with another daughter, Liann, already
nine years old, she decided to moved to Ibiza so that they
could continue their studying at the English School in Morna
Valley (Sant Carles).
Living in Sant Joan she discovered the beautiful
countryside of Eivissa.
"This Island is very different from
Formentera, softer and prettier, all folded into valleys with
hidden "fincas" (local peasants' country houses)
whereas Formentera is in communion with the sky. I can never
decide where I want to live most!"
After her youngest daughter grew up and
left home, and while working in a friend's message service
and shop, Lesley felt she needed to do something more creative,
so she went out and bought some brushes and oils.
"My father had always painted watercolours
of precise old buildings and churches, beautifully executed.
But I didn't think I could do that; the problem was what was
to do! In the end I decided I would do a painting of a pair
of boots I particularly loved at that moment. It turned out
really well and I was encouraged to branch out and try painting
the other special moments I wanted to freeze for all time
on my canvass".
A couple of years later she took drawing
lessons for three months.
"I loved the way the teacher forced
me to look and re-look at the detail; I think it was this
that started me on the "bodegones" (still life paintings).
Painting portraits, even a tiny stroke of the brush can totally
change an expression. But likewise with my close-ups, I can
work for hours on getting a shape with the right amount of
roundness and friendliness as on the contrary sharpness and
meanness, and a colour - or contrast of colours - that is
expressing exactly the feeling I'm trying to give and the
essence of the objects.
There is of course, a "Lesleyness"
to all my paintings, but inside of that is a language of curves
and colour.
"However, when it comes down to it,
I didn't choose to be a writer and communicate with words:
my medium is visual and you must look at my paintings. I think
people are afraid to really look and think for themselves
about Art, although that is changing, but often they leave
themselves be told how to feel about it, either by the artist's
message or the catalogue. I like to sit down and see how I
feel about it and I'm hoping people will feel good when they
do the same with mine".
Lesley's painting can be seen at present
in several Art-locals of Eivissa, such as:
"Cas Curuné", On the road
to Sant Joan
"Vista Alegre", Sant Joan
"Casa Turquesa", Santa Eulari
"Lingham", Sant Carles
In Formentera, "Casa Balear",
La Sabina.
Lesley Riddihough will hopefully exhibit
her new paintings for two weeks this summer from the 1st July
in the "Sala de Cultura" of Santa Eulari, on the
main street, below the police station.
Lesley's Previous Exhibitions
1992 "Timor", Santa Eulari,
Eivissa
1993 Galería Bella & Siona Baram, Formentera
1994 Galería Origins, Santa Gertrudis, Eivissa
"Es Regueró", Sant Antoni, Eivissa
1995 Lailey's Gallery, England
1996 Galería Arte y Colección, Santa
Eulari, Eivissa
"Magazin" (on the road to Sant Joan), Eivissa
Rattan Gallery, Eivissa
1997 Paul Smith Gallery, England
"Decorum", Eivissa
1998 "La Caixa", Formentera
1999 "La Caixa", Formentera
2001 "Sala de Cultura", Santa Eulari, Eivissa
"Ajuntament Vell", Sant Francesc, Formentera.
2002 Blue Gallery, Mönchengladbach, Germany
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Lesley Riddihough Talking with Friends
at an Art Exhibition
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First Painting 1991
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First Painting Sold 1991
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Camino to the Balsa 1996
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Can Tirurit 1996
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Cap House 1998
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Blue Door on the Cap 1998
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Tawny Cat 1997
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Ibicenco Ladies 1998
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Gate in Wall 1998
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Almond Blossom San Vicente 1999
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Plant by the Window 1999
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Glass Pots & Rolling Pin 2000
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Cut Orange & Spoon 1999
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Mushrooms & Brown Bowl 1999
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Poppies in Jar 1999
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Pomegranate Shoots 2000
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Glass Bottle & Rose 2001
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Gigi Vase 2001
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Strawberries & Blue Bowl 2002
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Mixed Flowers In Brown Pot 2002
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All Pictures Courtesy
Of Lesley Riddihough
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José P Ribas
josepribas@liveibiza.com
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