Lisa Groenendijk

My practice explores the underlying stories, unsettling energies and moments in time which exist within rural Scotland and its landscapes. To me painting is a form of storytelling in which i can expand upon these ideas through my work. I feel very connected to the rural landscapes within Scotland, specifically to the Isle of Lewis where i am from. The memories of these landscapes often act as a set for my paintings to unfold upon.

A lot of my works reference the heavy atmosphere that often clings to rural places within Scotland, especially at times when daylight is fading or rising, or it is night. I like the idea of being able to capture unusual or eerie moments which occur within nature, ones which feel as if we were not meant to be present for or to see. I am interested in the line between what is real or what is not, and enjoy painting scenes which feel like they are familiar yet also unrecognisable. I draw inspiration from both folklore and fairytales and research these to further fuel aspects of my practice. I like to imagine how parts of nature such as the moon, animals or the hills view and experience scotlands landscapes. Through painting, they become characters in my work as i begin to experiment with creating different narratives or stories in relation to them. When painting, i am creating my own version of a story which unfolds as the work progresses, and each work contains a multitude of stories within it. I am interested in the traces of the past which haunt and linger within these landscapes, aswell as my own families heritage, which i often research too. To me my work acts as a window looking into specific places and moments in time which are then memorialised within my paintings when they are complete. I feel i can revisit them when i look at my work and i hope to create works in which the viewer can hopefully be transported to these new places too.