Artist Clare Schmidt-Norris is staging her exhibition Making Space in the new gallery space at Eliza House in Fore Street this week.
The work on display has been several years in the making and is a vital part of Clare’s recovery from illness.
“Sometimes it’s important to stand still for a moment,” said Clare, who was Head of Art at Kings College, Taunton until recently. “In the rush of modern life, we so often forget how to slow down.
“Recovering from long covid, I’ve come to understand the importance of making space for what really matters to me.”
Clare says that having to work with reduced energy has turned her towards smaller scale assemblies of fabric, Perspex and plaster.
“My grids and stacks are inspired by the materials-driven practices of Sheila Hicks and Phyllida Barlow, as well as the quiet formal language of the Minimalists.
“I’m interested in how materials come together to create unexpected contrast – combinations that invite a closer look and spark curiosity about how the work was made.”
Making Space is open at Eliza House this Friday and Saturday from 11am to 3pm.
