We joined artist Zoe Fitchet at the City Space to talk to her about her exhibition Contemplation, currently open at The Arc, Winchester, until the 5 January. Fitchet gives insights into her artistry, love of detail (in appearance and facts) and her ongoing work.
What has driven the focus of your exhibition?
The exhibition is actually five years worth of work. I have worked as a wildlife conservation artist for the last three years, but before that, I was very interested in wildlife art. All of my pieces have the same kind of story around getting people to connect with wildlife through artwork. Each piece has a different way of doing that and tells a different story, so it's nice to see them all together. The title 'contemplation' is very much about stopping and spending a lot of time thoughtfully looking; it’s not very often that people get a chance to do that, especially with wildlife.
Lone Wolf has drawn considerable attention, particularly with the African dogs luscious fur, could you tell us more about the creation of this piece?
This piece was created for the David Shepard Wildlife Foundation artist of the year, back in 2021. It was a finalist in that exhibition, which took place online. I drew the piece while pregnant with my second, so I’ve got photos of it in progress with a big old bump, which is quite funny. I wanted to draw a piece that captured the stalking stance of the dog so you can see a bit of their behaviour, but to also take them away from that pack environment where you often see them, as that is so much a part of how they act as animals. To have her as a lone wolf on her own highlighted the issue that they are declining in number. If they are ever left on their own and they lose their pack, then their circumstances are quite dire and they probably wouldn't survive. It highlights quite a few different issues but also gives people the opportunity to get up close and personal with a wild dog. I’ve drawn it pretty much life-sized so you can see all of the different details in her fur and in her expression and really appreciate her as a species.
How much does your relationship with each animal change throughout the creative process?
Because my pieces take quite a while to create, I spend a lot of time studying each animal as I go. A drawing isn’t just the drawing itself, it’s the idea, the concept, the research, the planning of the composition and the looking at photographs and references to work from. All of that time spent helps me to find out more about the animals and to research their conservation status and the issues they are facing. It brings together the whole story, which I like to be able to share through creating the piece of work. When the piece is finished, I use a lot of social media to share my work with the story behind it. It’s a nicer way for people to find out about these issues and give them the chance to do something about it rather than showing all the negative stuff in a very horrific way. I think people turn off when they see that sort of thing. It’s not easy for people to digest when they feel a bit helpless by seeing the stark reality in front of them. But if it’s put to them in a way that is a bit softer and a bit more appetising through artwork, it's a little bit easier to digest, appreciate and connect with. I think that helps me through the whole process. I’m connecting to each animal in a story-like way, getting to know them and then showing their story.
Please could you tell us a bit about the piece you are currently working on here at the City Space?
Yeah, so I am working on a commission piece, which I like to fit in here and there between my wildlife work. I’m working on a pet portrait at the moment. It's a Black Labrador crossed with a Mastiff and he’s called Moose. It’s a little bit more unusual and different to my usual work because I'm working in black and white. It's quite a high-contrast, dramatic piece and it's actually really nice to work on something a little bit different. I’ve still got all of the shine and the details to add in even though it's quite a small piece, it's only five by five inches this one. It’s a nice little piece to squeeze in amongst all the massive ones.
How has it been working in the City Space?
It’s been nice, actually, it's lovely to have the opportunity to chat with people and I have found that everyone has been so encouraging and friendly. There have been so many conversations I’ve had with people who have lovely stories to tell about being out in wildlife or projects that they have seen or experienced and to also talk about the artwork, techniques and materials and things. So yeah, it’s been lovely.
Contemplation is open at The Arc, Winchester until the 5 January. Works are available to purchase.
