Frances Hatch

Of Myths and Moons

Saturday 24 June to Sunday 3 September 2017

Of Myths and Moons with Clare Trenchard, Akiko Hirai and Petter Southall

The extraordinarily intense and beautiful body of work Frances Hatch has created for this exhibition is the result of a year that has brought transformation to all aspects of her life since she and her husband Steve Batty moved to Burton Bradstock just up the coast from Sladers Yard. Frances has responded with some of the strongest work of her career.

Radical Landscape: Frances Hatch Talk with Elisabeth Bletsoe chaired by Stephen Batty

Friday 21 July 6.30pm

Many thanks to all who took part in the fascinating discussion with Frances Hatch and Elisabeth Bletsoe last night, especially Steve Batty who chaired the evening with great flair. The comments from the audience were exceptionally interesting. They took Frances and Elisabeth into discussion of the numinous as well as their very strong connections to earth and place.

 

26 Accompanied by a Coot in the Reed Beds 65 x 165 cm

A few words of introduction from Frances Hatch:

’The moon is going to play a large part in this emerging collection: it seems to have ‘called me out’ to paint as it rises and sets all along the Chesil – and indeed wherever I’ve been- over this last year. I will offer moon light mixed with the earths of each place. I have come to experience each moon as if different from the last one. I’ve given them names associated with something touching my experience at the time. 

There is something special about being present to the changes of the lunar calendar, tides, seasonal plants and daily shifts of light and weather. My work is all about being present in the landscape with what ‘is’. Through creative engagement I ‘get to grips’ (literally!) with what is going on and explore my connection with it. The show will be accompanied by a book – juxtaposing images and words associated with the gestation of this particular body of work.’

11. Red Ruby Moon 59 x 110 cm

The booklet Chesil Moons accompanies the exhibition, with words by Frances Hatch, a new poem by Elisabeth Bletsoe and foreword by Steve Batty.  The booklet is available now at £9 plus £1.50 p&p within UK.  32 pages. Full colour throughout. 14.6 x 19 cm.

The paintings are shown below. Please click on an image to allow it to expand and show its caption. To enquire about Frances Hatch’s work please phone 44 (0)1308 459511 or email us on gallery@sladersyard.co.uk

Frances Hatch Royal Houmet Moon 68 x 65 cm

11. Red Ruby Moon 59 x 110 cm

13. 11% Moon 55 x 90 cm

24. Storm Desmond 38 x 199 cm

26 Accompanied by a Coot in the Reed Beds 65 x 165 cm

1. Lyme-Light Moon SOLD 79 x 103 cm

2. Once Cradled Moon SOLD 26 x 30 cm

3. Mackerel Moon 58 x 88 cm

4. August Shower Softens Golden Cap SOLD 41 x 51 cm

7. Dunstan Moon Pillar 42 x 50 cm

6. Supermoon of Abscission 68 x 65 cm

8. Embleton Moon 38 x 53 cm

9. Calyx Moon 26 x 30 cm

10. End of a Gentle Day 23 x 30 x 6 cm

12. Blueberry Moon 51 x 136 cm

14. Mist Frost Moon SOLD 36 x 66 cm

15. Drizzled Moon SOLD 31 x 31 cm

16. Peeling Velvet Moon 84 x 126 cm

17. Ripe Wilding Moon SOLD 26 x 30 cm

19. Garden of the Halmyrides 82 x 197 cm

18. Wet Wilding Moon 26 x 30 cm

20. Wet Kale Shingle 34 x 74 x 4 cm

21. Thrifted Campion SOLD 34 x 34 cm

22 Kale Froth 15 x 21 x 6 cm plinth 15 x 30 cm

23. Cogden Live 26 x 43 cm

25. Reedbeds Sound SOLD 39 x 64 cm

27. Mackerel Time 28 x 63 x 4 cm

28. Eype Rouge 95 x 113 cm

29. Eype Fallen Forest Marble Limestone SOLD 26 x 30 cm

30. Advent Eve 34 x 47 cm

31. Cobo Moon 23 x 30 x 6 cm

32. Pea Stacks Lesser Black Backs Preparing to Nest 30 x 30 cm

33. June Pollen Haze SOLD 31 x 37 cm

34. Cogden Chesil Beach Place Palette 46 x 46 cm

 

FRANCES HATCH developed her plein air practice not only to make work outdoors but to involve the materials she finds around her in the landscape, collecting earth, rocks, minerals and litter to use as her palette. Wild fruit juices, puddle mud and raindrops bespeckle her sketchbooks. Armed simply with paper and a portable toolkit containing some gouache, watercolour or acrylic paint and a binding medium, Frances heads off to the beach often by moonlight to create her response to the place at the time she finds it.

3. Mackerel Moon 58 x 88 cm

Frances Hatch studied visual art at Cambridge, Aberystwyth and Goldsmiths and has an MA in printmaking from Wimbledon College of Art. She has always painted outdoors. Her work has grown in strength and confidence following a trip to Antarctica in 2005 followed by a Research Bursary from DVA/ExLab which supported her study of the history and craft of making and consolidating pigments. She has been a senior tutor at West Dean College since 1995, has published books about her projects and contributed to other books both as an illustrator and practitioner.

24. Storm Desmond 38 x 199 cm

She has exhibited throughout the UK and in London and had her first show at Sladers Yard in 2015. Frances was awarded the Shenzhen International Watercolour Biennial Prize at the  Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) exhibition at the Mall Galleries 2016: ‘An award to encourage innovation and experimentation in contemporary watermedia.’

15. Drizzled Moon 31 x 31 cm

events:

Artists’ walk

Frances Hatch: painting the sunset and moonrise

Saturday 8 July 6.30pm

Simple buffet supper and informal discussion around the table with Frances Hatch followed by a short walk down to the end of the pier in West Bay with painting equipment to respond to the end of the day in colour and line. More information…

Booking essential as numbers are limited. Fee: £25. Please phone 01308 459511.

13. 11% Moon 55 x 90 cm

Artist’s Talk

Radical Landscape: Frances Hatch Talk with Elisabeth Bletsoe chaired by Stephen Batty

Friday 21 July 6.30pm

Painter Frances Hatch in conversation with eminent radical landscape poet Elisabeth Bletsoe. Discussion and performance chaired by Stephen Batty. More information…

Tickets: £10 or £25 with buffet dinner to follow. Please phone 01308 459511 to book.

5. Royal Houmet Moon 68 x 65 cm