The Artist of the Month in August at Frome’s Cheese & Grain is local artist Emma Tuck. Her exhibition ‘Flow’ takes as its inspiration the streams and rivers of west Wales.
Emma grew up in Bristol and now lives in Frome, but spent many years in between living on an organic smallholding and nature reserve in rural West Wales. This experience has had a major impact on the importance of place in her work. In a country notorious for its high rainfall, she was surrounded by rivers and streams which have inspired the drawings and lino prints in this exhibition.
As well as celebrating the beauty of the Welsh uplands, her work also aims to highlight the degradation of our river ecosystems. The crystal clear streams of the mountains of mid-Wales – which are home to otters, trout and the beautiful demoiselle and golden-ringed dragonflies – are in stark contrast to lots of water-courses in the rest of the UK.
Many rivers are polluted by agricultural and industrial run-off or are contaminated with sewage and litter. In some years, like 2017, rivers and streams are at risk of running dry as a result of low rainfall and over-abstraction. All of this has grave consequences for wildlife. It is not only fish that suffer; many plants and animals, such as water voles, insects and birds, are harmed by unpredictable changes to aquatic and riparian habitats. Emma hopes that her work will help to raise awareness about these important issues.
Emma is a self-taught artist and has been creating and making since she was a child. She was awarded associate membership of the Society of Botanical Artists in 2011, and her work has been exhibited locally, as well as in London and at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
For more information, please visit www.emmatuck.com or www.cheeseandgrain.com.
