Colourful expressionism

Inspired by Queenstown’s vibe and environment, Christchurch artist Carrie Broomhall has created a series of work for her first solo exhibition, Rebecca Fox reports.

Some days Carrie Broomhall, crippled with pain, does not want to get out of bed.

"It’s very easy to get caught up in the frustration and sadness of my reality."

But painting motivates her to get up and encourages her to create vibrant art works to make other people happy.

"It’s the conduit that allows me to express my feelings through colour and gestural marks and it has driven me to succeed as a full-time artist."

However, it is not easy. In 2013 at the age of 34, Broomhall, a mother of three, was diagnosed with high-grade aggressive muscle-invasive bladder cancer. She had her bladder, ovaries, cervix, uterus, "parts of my bowel and other bits and bobs removed".

"I was left as a shell of myself with many visits to hospital post-recovery and even now with recurring bowel obstructions as my body continues to struggle with its new "plumbing". I’m often in crippling pain and unable to leave my bed at home or in hospital."

So when asked how her art has helped express herself through all of that, she feels really emotional.

"My fragile body and the frequency with which it takes me away from the things I love takes a huge toll on me and those close to me."

It has also impacted on her practice. She used to paint a lot of figurative, portraiture art and researched her subjects by sketching out detailed drawings before painting.

"Now, as I have developed my process, I paint with more urgency and energy which painting abstractly allows, and after my brush with death I feel compelled to just ‘do it’ and not allow myself to be restricted at all by the details. That’s possibly a reflection of how I now walk through life."

Before the diagnosis, her art journey had been a diverse one. She grew up in a family with a "fervent passion" for discovering, collecting and displaying contemporary art.

"Mum set up a designated space for us when we were young so that we were always able to create papier mache objects, paint and generally dabble with our artistic tendencies. Art and play went hand in hand in our house."

So at high school, Broomhall continued to focus on the arts — classics and art history, dance — as well as sketching, printmaking and painting, achieving scholarship and entry to Canterbury University School of Fine Arts.

"My Dad really encouraged and supported my interest in painting and nurtured my interest as much as he could by asking me along to artists’ talks, exhibition openings and open days at the university.

"We often went on family trips to visit artists at their homes and sometimes came back with a newly purchased work in the boot of the family car.

"I think this immersion really lit the way for my growing inspiration to really push on with my own creativity."

Curious about Dunedin’s "scarfie" life though, she decided to follow her sister south to the University of Otago and study computer graphic design, anthropology and psychology.

"A completely different direction for me. I really got to learn more about myself during my time in Dunedin, but after almost three years there, I decided that my course wasn’t the right fit for me."

Instead, Broomhall pursued a career in fashion, including as a visual merchandising manager for Pumpkin Patch — South Island and lower North Island.

Then an opportunity came along to move to France to live, as her husband, Sam Broomhall, signed to play rugby for ASM Clermont Auvergne.

"We spent three incredible years immersed in French culture, cheese and wine and had two of our three children there. The Auvergne countryside was breathtaking and we became true Francophiles."

The rich culture of France inspired Broomhall to think a little differently.

"I believe it was here that my love for expressionism emerged. I have a wonderful memory of being invited to visit a successful artist’s home and studio not far from where we lived. He was so immersed in his passion for painting and remaining true to his calling. That profoundly influenced me."

Coming back to New Zealand, they felt quite lost for almost two years as they adjusted.

"We desperately missed the friends we had made in France and the lifestyle it offered us.

"It was wonderful to be back home, but I just didn’t want to lose the wonderful mindset and memories I had of our time there, so painting really helped me to grieve."

She works in acrylic and oil paints, adoring the "butteryness" of oils, but also recognising acrylics have come a long way in recent years, making them very easy to work with.

"I pour my heart into each of my works like my time is running out — there is a frantic energy to each of them, like an explosion of colourful expressionism. After facing my own mortality and living to tell the tale, I want the viewer to come on a transformative journey to feel the same beautiful enthusiasm I feel when I create each piece — a fragile and fleeting space, yet beautiful and untouched by constraint."

A key part of her painting process is music.

"It is often reflected in the intensity of my brushstrokes. My Spotify playlist is so varied — it would probably shock you."

Broomhall has always loved to use colour in her work.

"Colour is everything to me. Dense and rich, vibrant or pared back. It has the ability to transform moods, warm the soul and calm the spirit."

She particularly likes the juxtaposition of bright hues mixed with earthy tones, and is constantly being inspired by the world around her.

"Architecture, for instance, with exploratory shapes and strong lines, fashion for stunning colour combos and more obviously all things in nature."

The works in the exhibition at Gallery 6 are a mix of the "rugged local landscape" from the Crown Range to the "zesty, bright walks of life on the streets and skifields".

"Queenstown has such an eclectic mix of visitors and locals and I wanted my paintings to embody the cool and the calm of life in this unique part of the world."

Having her first solo show makes it extra special.

"It was a pinch-myself moment being asked to exhibit at the QT Queenstown. I love the playfulness of the hotel and I felt so chuffed to see my work hung there.

"As an artist, it’s very easy to get hung up on whether you believe your work is worthy. Worthy of being liked by someone else, being exhibited and being purchased. We all can feel a little bit of the ‘imposter syndrome’ at times.

"I’ve thankfully moved on from that and I think that a solo show is like the cherry on top."

TO SEE

Colour and Light, Carrie Broomhall, Gallery 6, QT Queenstown.