You are warmly invited to the opening of Fluid Earth, on Saturday October 4th, 4.30-7.30pm at Groundwork Gallery Kings Lynn.

Fluid Earth is the culmination of an extraordinary residency I was part of in August, along with 13 other artists.  Based in Kings Lynn, we travelled across Norfolk, each day meeting with 2-4 passionate experts in fields ranging from chalk streams, regenerative farming and coastal erosion to urban pollution and paper manufacturing.  We walked in chalk streams, clambering over fallen tree trunks, were deafened by machines making recycled paper at 80 miles an hour, got lost, found springs below low tide and peered into the lifeless murky waters of the Gaywood River. 

My contribution to this exhibition is a piece about the channelling, straightening and confining of Norfolk rivers, whose fundamental dynamics are to meander, whose meanders could limit flooding and create stunning biodiversity if they were given their space.  Come and see the full picture on Saturday and listen to artists talking about their work.  Exhibition runs until December 13th. 

Straight-Jacket – work in progress in the studio

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CONVERSATION WITH AMANDA GEITNER WILL NOW BE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH 6-7PM

This exhibition has been shaped by three years of conversation about rivers and their complex watery relationship with land, wildlife and humans.

During lockdown we walked our local rivers connected by Whatsapp, sending each other pictures and observations. Eventually we walked and talked in the same river valleys.

The ideas that came from these conversations have been translated by three artists with diverse practices into work that is figurative and abstract, two and three dimensional, using pastels, paper, steel and natural materials.

More information will be available from the website: FLOW

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

@torfalcon @lizmcgowanart @rachilong

Come and see new work in this upcoming exhibition at Cromer Artspace, opening on Thursday 10 August 5.30-7.30 and continuing until August 21st. I’ll be exhibiting with Yelena Popova, Sam Hodge and Geoff Litherland.

Each artist explores the relationship between their practice and their environment.

Cromer Artspace is a beautiful space on the west promenade at Cromer, almost on the beach, so come and see us. I will be on site during the exhibition. Message me if you want to know which days, otherwise hope to see you at the opening.

You are warmly invited to join us for an artists conversation at Groundwork Gallery, Kings Lynn on Wednesday December 7th, 4-7pm, followed by drinks.

The current exhibition, Deep Water, features eight artists responding in very different ways to sea water pollution and the current dangers to wildlife and ocean environments.

I will be talking about two series of works:  Absence, the Norfolk Chalk Reef  features traces of delicate seaweeds and bryozoa from the tideline of the north Norfolk coast.  Viscera are small sculptures, containers, made of seaweed and beeswax.

There’s a rich mix of work here.  Hope you can make it.

Full details are here: https://www.groundworkgallery.com/events/a-deep-water-discussion-in-real-life-wednesday-7-december/

I am exhibiting a series of eight works entitled Absence – the Norfolk Chalk Reef in the upcoming exhibition Deep Water at Groundwork Gallery in Kings Lynn. The opening is on Saturday 15th October from 5.30-7.30 and the show runs until December 17th, Wednesday – Saturday, 11-4.

In these works delicate seaweeds and bryozoa washed up from the Norfolk chalk reef are laid onto chalk, sprinkled with soot from my chimney, and removed, leaving their trace. The soot laid directly onto the chalk puts me in front of the damage my actions do to the living world around me.

The Norfolk chalk reef was ‘discovered’ in about 2010 by local divers. No one knew its extent (probably about 20 miles along the coast) because the sea is full of silt and visibility is virtually nil, apart from just one or two days a year. Since then it has slowly revealed its riches. If you want to know more, then check out this video by diver and photographer Chris Taylor:

Very pleased to announce that my exhibition – the spirit wraps around me, nature as a second skin – has now been extended for another month. There is also now a cafe at the granary serving delicious drinks and pastries, and it’s an ideal place to take a break from your journey between London and Norfolk as it’s just off the A11. I hope you’ll be able to make it. For more information and opening times visit: https://www.staplefordgranary.org.uk/whats-on/events/liz-mcgowan-launch

What would it be like to experience a deep sensual immersion in the world around us?

Supposing, instead of walking on a footpath or a beach, we were walking in, or inside an ever changing

kaleidoscope of texture, colour, light and process…

Supposing we were literally cloaked in our surroundings?

Liz McGowan explores these ideas through her creative collaboration with the detail, patterns and processes of landscape, calling attention to a continual multi-sensual exchange with our surroundings. This body of work, exhibited at the Granary, includes cloaks, sculpture and earth works. 

I will be taking part in:

Cley 18 – ‘The greater the distance, the clearer the view’

5th July – 5th August at Cley church, Cley-next-the Sea

Curated by Caroline Fisher

 

BUT my main focus for this summer is:

Force of Nature

Solo exhibition at The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral

August 11th – 25th

More information coming soon!

 

During the week of the 13th February I will be working at Cley Marshes installing a series of reed sculptures outside the Visitor’s Centre and, with the help of you, hopefully, making a second reed installation in the Education Centre.  More details here:

The Art of Reeds

Friday 10th February – I installed my reed vanes outside the visitors’ centre at Cley Marshes – in a blizzard!  They will be up for about 2 weeks, as long as the wind doesn’t blow them away…….