Artist Jaquie Feldman has a long-standing connection with Wanstead. In more recent years, she has developed an artistic obsession with birds
My association with Wanstead goes back many years. I was born and brought up close by and some of my happiest early memories are of being taken to Wanstead House Community Association for my weekly ballet lessons.
I loved that to my young eyes Wanstead House was ‘oldy worldy.’ I obviously felt it offered more character than the new-builds of the 1960s and 1970s. Today, it stands as a venue in the very heart of the community, still offering ballet lessons, but also various creative arts, crafts, exhibitions and meeting hubs.
These days, I run three classes in mixed media art, and in addition work as a freelance museum and gallery artist and creative facilitator for the British Museum, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Keats House, National Portrait Gallery, the London Museum, Royal Museums Greenwich and UCL. My own practice changed direction during the pandemic as I lost my museum work. During that surreal time, I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, which is due to be published later in the year. It was during the pandemic that I developed an ‘obsession’ with birds and began to incorporate them into my artwork.
My love of birds started when I was young; I recall taking an injured bird to the local park and setting it free. Recently, and perhaps because I’ve never witnessed one, I’ve become fascinated with the breathtaking spectacle of the starling murmuration. In my work, I try to encapsulate the feeling a murmuration might evoke. Initial studies were created simply in pencil, but I’ve recently developed a multi-layering effect using canvas, Indian khadi paper for starling shapes and a combination of pencil, charcoal and ink. Interesting things happen as each medium behaves differently on the surface. The thought of the time-consuming depiction of every single starling in that murmuration might sound unbelievably tedious to accomplish but combined with listening to Philip Glass and Max Richter, I find it all relaxing and hypnotic!
Although I’ve now moved away, I visit Wanstead as often as I can, inspired by the joyous café society of the High Street and the vibrant community hub that are lucky enough to call Wanstead home… and, yes, perhaps I’m also a little jealous!
To view more of Jaquie’s artwork, visit wnstd.com/jaqfeld
