- This event has passed.
‘Thelma Macfarlane Retrospective’ – St Margaret’s Gallery, Norwich
Norfolk sisters Clare Carey and Fiona Macfarlane have opened an exhibition of their late mother Thelma’’s artwork in Norwich this week – showcasing, for the first time, over six decades of work by the Sprowston-based artist.
‘Thelma Macfarlane Retrospective’ is open daily to the public from 10am to 4pm until Saturday 16th August at St Margaret’s Gallery on St Benedict’s Street, a dedicated exhibition space for makers and artists in Norfolk. Thelma’s works cover still life, self portraits, mixed media, landscapes and latterly art created when she was suffering with dementia.
Born in Surrey in 1935, Thelma spent her married life in Norfolk. She started painting watercolours as a child, her inspiration beginning with watching the way sunlight fell on colours, and the chalk hill landscapes of the North and During Thelma’s life in Norfolk, she continued painting, South Downs. also using pastels, chalk and oils. She always had a sketchbook with her and painted at every opportunity, even stopping in fields on her way home by bicycle from the supermarket.
Later in life Thelma had the chance of further education in art and went to study for her degree at UCA Farnham. She made installations to express light and exhibited at Princes Street Installations, Cinema City, Muspole Artists Studios, Fringe at Bally, Warehouse Artists Studios. Her life drawings were exhibited here at St. Margaret’s Retrospectives and Female Perspectives.
Life study was a continuous practice for Thelma. She only stopped life classes when the effect of dementia meant that she was unable to maintain focus or articulate in the she wanted. Thelma did, however, continue to sketch, paint and write very expressively for her whole life until her passing in 2022.
