Nadia Koo: ‘Art is a feeling of complete and utter calm’

Published

1 year ago

May 8, 2023

A woman who only took up painting three years ago says art has provided “a sense of complete and utter calm” in a stressful world.

Nadia Koo, who lives in Saffron Walden, Essex, creates bold, colourful work on canvases she buys at car boot sales.

She is now preparing for her third solo exhibition and has already sold dozens of pieces in her blossoming career.

“It is that feeling of being really free,” she said. “If you want to draw, don’t just say it – just do it.”

She added: “I never thought in a million years that I’d be an artist.

“At school, during art lessons, you’d be expected to do life drawings of fruit – like bananas. People would start making monkey noises.

“It was that time, heated with racism. Now I incorporate bananas into some of my drawings. It’s about being able to express yourself.”

The 58-year-old grandmother – and mother-of-three – said her biggest fan is her son Kyan, 33, and she has had “amazing support” from her whole family.

Ms Koo, who grew up in Cambridge, worked in social and youth work for almost 30 years and chaired harrowing child protection conferences – before painting took hold.

She said she found it difficult to express her feelings after the death of George Floyd in May 2020 made international headlines.

“I just got this urge to do a large painting full of flowers,” she said.

“I couldn’t understand why people were still hating us for the colour of our skin. I couldn’t talk about it. So I let go with that one. I called it ‘Number One’.”

Prolific

“My wife Sarah bought me this whole beautiful pack of acrylics, with drawing pads and thinners – and then it just sat in my caravan in Southwold for two years,” she said.

“So I started out just drawing elementary stuff, like vases of flowers.

“It gave me a feeling of complete and utter calm. I still have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from my job and have flashbacks of situations.

“Some artists manage one painting every six months but I was prolific. At one point I was completely sandwiched in with paintings.”

She said that for one exhibition, at the Church Street Gallery in Saffron Walden last July, she expected the curator to ask for one or two paintings – but she chose 26.

Ms Koo also recently exhibited at the Aldeburgh Gallery and The Power of Stories, a collaboration between Aspire Black Suffolk and Britten Pears Arts at Snape Maltings.

“I didn’t realise I was any good,” she said, “but I have a bit of impostor syndrome.

“Art provides a different perspective on life. It’s a release. Art can heal.”

Her latest exhibition, Lemon Love, runs at the Merlina Arts Gallery at Earsham Heritage Mill, near Bungay, Suffolk, from 8 May to 22 May.

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

3 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

1 month ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.