Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
In the first of a series of exhibits and art talks planned for all Pocahontas County Free Libraries and Information Centers, Vivian Blackwood presented her “Shadows on the Mountain” series last Friday evening at McClintic Library in Marlinton.
The exhibit included six pieces in a watercolor series, as well as six oil paintings of both portraits and still life studies.
During the opening, Blackwood gave a talk about her work and answered questions asked by both the audience and PCFL Director of Development Joe Miller.
Miller opened the eve-ning’s chat with a brief biography of Blackwood, a native of New Zealand, who earned her bachelor’s degree in visual arts at Auckland University of Technology before moving to the states and becoming an art educator and artist, honing her skills in New York City.
Blackwood moved to West Virginia with her fiancé and fellow artist Philippe Willis, and the two continue to make beautiful artwork at their home in Pocahontas County.
Blackwood opened the talk with her heartfelt gratitude to those in attendance, joking that she was afraid no one would attend.
She added that having the exhibit at the libraries is special to her because her love of art was sparked by books.
“The first time I fell in love with art was through illustrations in children’s books, especially fairies,” she said. “Children’s books would be physically made by artists, and I would just marvel at the illustrations and the fact that their name was on the front cover of the book. So, I knew an artist had a job.
“A lot of adults would tell me, ‘You can’t be an artist’ and I was like, ‘this is proof that they exist,’” she added, laughing.
Miller asked Blackwood to share the story behind one of the watercolors, titled “Sculptures of Sediment and Time.” The painting is a starkly contrasted view inside a cave and is a remnant of Blackwood’s first time caving.
Willis, who lived in Virginia at the time, invited Blackwood to go caving with him in Franklin, into Hamilton Cave specifically, and she at first was very hesitant – “I’m claustrophobic; I’m anxious; I’m neurotic; I’m not doing that!”
“There was a bit of back and forth, and eventually he convinced me and lo and behold, sometimes when you face things you’re terrified of, you’re completely surprised by your reaction,” she said. “Caving immediately became one of my favorite things.
“It’s like being in a sensory deprivation tank,” she continued. “There’s no sound. There’s no light. If you go with the right people, there’s no talking. It’s very meditative and you feel like you’re on another planet.”
Ever the artist, Blackwood entered the cave with art supplies and once they were deep underground – having crawled like a caterpillar in some portions – she was able to do sketches of the cave and its sculptures.
“That’s how we ended up living in West Virginia,” she said. “We kept coming here to go caving and we were like, this is like Virginia plus. “It’s like Virginia gold. It’s like Virginia, but less people. This place is amazing. As a Kiwi – as a New Zealander – West Virginia feels a lot more like New Zealand.”
In addition to illustrations in children’s books, Blackwood found her love for art with the help of her father. He, too, is an artist and although he never made it a career, he had a talent like no other.
“When I was little, I would sit in his lap and he would grab whatever he had around – like an envelope with a bill in it and a pen he would take out of his pocket – and in two seconds, on the back of this envelope, he would be able to draw an entire scene,” she said.
Before her eyes, Blackwood’s father would transform the envelope into a new world with hills, a castle and more.
“I’m like four years old,” she said of that memory. “My mind is blown, and I’m hooked. I’m like, ‘what is that magic you just did? How did you make an entire world appear?’ Art is communicating ideas. It’s communicating feelings.”
When Blackwood began creating her own art, she was focused on making drawings that looked as realistic as possible. She loved what is called representation art, but at the same time, didn’t want her art to look like a simple photograph.
“I’m not trying to be a camera,” she said. “I don’t want to just produce an exact facsimile of something. But I’m not interested in abstract art. That doesn’t touch my soul. I still want the representation, but I don’t want to be left feeling nothing.”
As she continued to explore her tastes in art, Blackwood found a way to continue making representational art, but in a way that it didn’t seem like a snapshot. That’s when she discovered Romanticism which adds an aspect of mystery and intrigue to the artwork.
“I found that it’s really important for me that I feel moved and affected by an artwork,” she said. “That’s the kind of art that I like. That’s what I’m attempting to do with mine. That’s what I’m trying to do – rather than just show you something – I’m trying to share an experience or feeling or atmosphere.”
The exhibit of Blackwood’s paintings will be at McClintic Library for two weeks before moving to the next library. Dates for the opening and art talk will be shared in The Pocahontas Times – and don’t worry, Blackwood assures the talk will be different at each location, so there’s no need for a spoiler alert.
