Erin Forbes-Buthlay
MA Peintio
Mae ymarfer artistig Forbes-Buthlay wedi’i wreiddio’n ddwfn yn yr archwiliad o haniaeth fel prif ddull o fynegiant, sydd iddi’n un hynod o atyniadol ac yn heriol. Yn ddiweddar, mae wedi ehangu ei hymarfer drwy ymgysylltu â phortreadu a’r defnydd o ddelweddau cyfeirio, gan sbarduno cwestiynau beirniadol ynghylch syniadau am hunaniaeth a hunan-gynrychiolaeth o fewn ei gwaith. Mae’r portreadau hyn, sydd yn aml yn seiliedig ar ddelweddau ohoni’i hun neu aelodau agos o’r teulu, yn gweithredu fel man i archwilio’r croestoriad rhwng hanes personol a’r broses artistig.
Mae ei gwaith wedi’i lywio’n gryf gan etifeddiaeth yr Abstract Expressionism o’r 1950au, yn enwedig ei bwyslais ar farcio ystumol, corfforoldeb a blaenoriaeth y broses. Mae dull Forbes-Buthlay yn rhoi grym i’r deunyddiau ac yn agored i siawns a digymellrwydd. Mae ei defnydd o haenu ac ailweithio marciau’n adlewyrchu trafodaeth barhaus â ffurf ac ystyr. Mae’n gadael i’r paentiadau amsugno’r pigmentau a phenderfynu lle maent am eistedd. Drwy gydol y camau creu, gwneir marciau amlygu; mae’r artist yn dewis elfennau o ddiddordeb ac yn eu haenu dros y brig. Yn y bôn, mae ei hymarfer yn ymchwiliad ymatebol sy’n herio ac yn ail-ddiffinio ffiniau haniaeth a hunan-fynegiant.
Erin Forbes-Buthlay
MA Painting
Forbes-Buthlay’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in the exploration of abstraction as a primary mode of expression, which she finds both compelling and challenging. Recently, she has expanded her practice by engaging with portraiture and the use of reference imagery, prompting critical inquiries into notions of identity, self-representation within her work. These portraits, often based on images of herself or close family members, serve as a site for examining the intersection between personal history and artistic process.
Her work is strongly informed by the legacy of Abstract Expressionism from the 1950s, particularly its emphasis on gestural mark-making, physicality, and the primacy of process. Forbes-Buthlay’s approach privileges the agency of materials, and an openness to chance and spontaneity. Her use of layering and reworking of marks reflects a sustained negotiation with form and meaning. She allows the paintings to soak up the pigments and decide where they would like to sit. Highlighting marks are made throughout the stage of creation, the artist picks out elements of interest and layers over the top. Her practice is fundamentally a responsive investigation that challenges and redefines the boundaries of abstraction and self-expression.