Dorset ECHO -
11 September 2007
ONCE upon a time in West Bay, artist Trish Wylie dreamed of a canvas dominated by giants of the silver screen.
That vision led to the creation of large and colourful paintings influenced by famous Westerns such as Once Upon A Time In The West and The Magnificent Seven.
The mythological status of some of Hollywood's top stars, including Steve McQueen and John Wayne, is captured in the paintings which Trish describes as a fusion of film and art.
Trish, 51, who has been based in West
Dorset for 20 years, is now preparing
for a major solo exhibition of her work
at one of London's high-profile galleries.
Her love of Westerns goes back to childhood, when she fondly remembers visiting the cinema in her native South London with her older brothers.
But up until recently her paintings, which have been on show at a wide range of places from Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester to the Tate Modern, have been mainly abstract.
Trish said: "My practice as a painter changed dramatically 18 months ago when I departed from abstraction to the cinematic paintings which brought together two passions - painting and film.
"I have been particularly interested in the films of Sergio Leone who was influenced by painters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer."
Her paintings are of stars in characteristic macho poses but also portray a mythical sense of landscape conveyed in Westerns, according to Richard Fitzwilliams of the Belgravia Gallery where the work is being exhibited.
He said: "The 20 canvases on show here have a vividness which capture the aura of the action-packed movies which she loves. They are truly individualistic."
Mr Fitzwilliams added: "She explores the process of image-making by watching films many times, extracting an image and interpreting it in paint. It replays the cinematic experience for the viewer on a giant canvas and is as though the essence of a moment on film has been captured in paint."
Visitors to Trish's exhibition of paintings at Bridport Arts Centre earlier this year had a sneak preview of what is in store.
Her Once Upon A Time In The West show is at the Belgravia Gallery from October 4-31.
