Enclosed Spaces | A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Olivia Irvine

This exhibition comprises paintings that are tied together by the theme of enclosed spaces.  Whether interior or exterior, the spaces are settings for improvised fictions.  Like theatre sets or dream arenas, the action happens in a place that is ambiguous or shifting.  Many of the paintings include figures, often alluding to family members and ancestors.  Props, such as tables and chairs, shrubs, mirrors and windows form part of the environment, jostling with the figures or indicating their absence. 

Olivia Irvine works in a spontaneous, abstract, manner, eking out the shapes as she goes along.  She experiments with intuitive colour palettes for emotional intensity and inventive mark-making, such as scraping, rolling and blotting.  The paintings do not follow any particular story line and are open ended although, sometimes towards the end, they stumble upon some aspects of her life which take her by surprise.

To learn more about art by Olivia Irvine please visit - irvineart.co.uk (opens new window)

ASSOCIATED EVENT

Artist Talk - Olivia Irvine
Thursday 6 March 2025, 6:30-7:30pm
Free, booking essential

Olivia will speak about how her oil paintings come about, including the techniques she uses and the themes and ideas she is interested in.  Mention will be made of how these have changed over the years but also how certain subject matter is being revisited.  She will talk specifically about how she starts a painting using colour and spontaneous mark-making.  This will lead on to how particular paintings in the exhibition evolved from abstract beginnings into improvised figurative compositions and what these mean to her.  Her use of drawing will be discussed and she will have a selection of sketchbooks on display.

To book please email your name, contact email, phone number and number of guests to: burgh.halls@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window)  or call: 01506 282720

Virtual tour of the exhibition

Coming February 2025