FIRE, FORM AND THE FEMININE
Paintings by Vivien Thomason and Ceramics by Heather Duncan
1st – 25th April
Acrylic on canvas, 75x60cm
A powerful new exhibition bringing together the evocative paintings of Vivien Thomason and the contemplative ceramic works of Heather Duncan, offering a compelling dialogue between two distinct yet deeply personal artistic practices.
Vivien Thomason’s paintings confront urgent contemporary themes through a rich visual language rooted in myth, symbolism, and abstraction. This latest body of work continues her exploration of female power set against the turbulence of the modern world. Drawing on mythological figures such as Furies, goddesses, and demons, Thomason creates fluid, dynamic forms that rise in defiance of misogyny and entrenched systems of power.
Her figures are at once fierce and playful, emerging as dripped, gestural shapes, sometimes crowned with star, sun, or duck-like heads, their limbs morphing into weapons. Mythological archetypes are reimagined with striking originality: Hathor embodies both vengeance and joy; a female Anubis emerges as a commanding presence of death and transformation; and Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing, is depicted as a haunting, elongated figure that captures the tension of her dual nature.
The exhibition also features Thomason’s “Empusia” series, inspired by shape-shifting female demons of Greek mythology and contemporary feminist literature, alongside her “Necklace” paintings – works that reflect her background in fashion jewellery. In these, poured paint forms bead-like structures that reference the symbolic meanings of gemstones such as Topaz (truth), Opal (hope), and Garnet (strength), grounding the work in both personal and universal narratives.
Thomason’s palette is atmospheric and richly layered: deep sepias and chocolate tones are punctuated by copper and ochre highlights, evoking a Gothic sensibility with subtle echoes of medieval iconography. Moments of luminosity suggest that, even within darkness, hope persists.
In contrast yet in quiet harmony, Heather Duncan’s ceramic vessels offer a meditative counterpoint. Each piece is a two-part form, combining a wheel-thrown upper section with a hand-built lower bowl. Crafted in stoneware and fired to 1220 degrees, her works are finished with slips and engobes, resulting in surfaces that are both tactile and refined.
Duncan approaches her practice as a balance between expression and stillness. While painting serves as her emotional language, a way to process and communicate her experience of the world, ceramics provide a space of calm and mindfulness. The repetitive, hands-on nature of making becomes a therapeutic process, where form and material guide a quieter, more introspective mode of creation.
Together, Thomason and Duncan present an exhibition that moves between intensity and reflection, myth and material, offering visitors a richly layered experience of contemporary art shaped by two distinct voices.
Stoneware decorated with slips and engobes
EXHIBITION WORK
