New exhibition at The Kave Gallery:  Indigo Star

HOT reporter Cathy Simpson was lucky enough to catch the lovely Indigo Star as she stewarded her own exhibition at The Kave Gallery, Kings Road.  The joy as she discussed her work, her processes and her thoughts about the role of creativity in everyday life was positively palpable!

Indigo studied at Kent Institute of Art & Design, and works in paint, blacksmithing and ceramic sculpture. She cites Salvador Dali, Barbara Hepworth, Howard Terpning and Renzo Piano as her early influences, and though all these are evident in her work, she has succeeded in creating something supremely personal.  Absorbing not only the superficial appearance of finished works, her thoughts about the profound implications of different approaches began at an early age.

She recalls, as a child, seeing a painting by Dali and taking a while to realize that the objects in the picture space could be read in different ways, as still life objects became a dog, and so on… but extrapolating from that experience, she is of the opinion that reality is ‘not a fixed thing; you don’t necessarily see the same thing every time you look at something’.  It is interesting to see this philosophy in practice; many of her paintings raise questions which invite the viewer to supply the answers, or are so evocative that universal interpretations can be applied to work which originally related to specific events in her own life.  For Indigo, light is very important, both in the sense of physical light, and inner light:  the experience of the viewer informing their interpretation.  Apparently it’s not unknown for people to look at her work with a tear in the eye!

Indigo’s approach varies enormously depending on the medium.  Her ceramic sculptures are clean and elegant, belied by her actual process (‘I like the earthy quality of clay.  I squash it around until something happens!’).  The organic forms and judicious use of incised marks are suggestive rather than descriptive, and invite the viewer to make the final decision.

Her blacksmithing she describes as an ‘incredibly musical, rhythmic process.  You really have to concentrate; you’ve got seconds to make an impact!’  The forms are wonderfully organic, also bearing out her thoughts about rhythm – but also designed to work with light in a literal sense.

The piece ‘Whispering Tree’ is a case in point: ‘You could have a huge tree just by putting a candle in front of it!’ as the shadow, and the wall against which it is cast, become part of the work of art.

Sculptures inhabiting a shadowy space.

Finally, I asked Indigo about her message to the world, what she really wants to say. In her typically modest, down-to-earth fashion, her response was not about her own work: ‘Don’t be afraid to express yourself! Don’t worry about making mistakes, or about not being good enough!.. you know, I can’t stand this “art clique” thing…’

The Kave Gallery, 8 Kings Road, St Leonards on Sea  TN37 6EA
Phone: 01424 428223

Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm

Also in: Visual Arts