An art review of ‘Journeys’ by Wendy Cruickshank written by Trainee Gallery Assistants Anthony, Derek & Sophie, with assistance from staff member Beth.
Wendy is a painter who lives nearby to Colchester. She makes very vibrant work.
It is wacky, we like that the pictures are not the same, they are very different.
The paintings are very colourful, and there are also dark tones.
Wendy’s pictures tell stories and there are different textures and feelings to them.
Anthony says ‘They are not perfect, but it’s what you make of it. They’re subjective.’
The gallery is bright and the colours draw you in – the room is happy to look at and the paintings make you think.
We think that the art is about travelling to different places, and about what the artist was feeling. We think the artist wants us to make up our own stories about the people in the paintings.
Derek says that the paintings feel like everyday reality of travelling on the train, bus or by taxi. ‘I can imagine myself in these places.’
Anthony says ‘it looks like some of the work describes a whole day and not just a moment’.
Our favourite pieces are ‘Easel Piece’ and ‘Car/Box’. Sophie likes the easel piece’s bright colours and shiny parts. She says ‘I like that everyone in the painting has different colour skin.’ Anthony likes Car/Box because of it’s story.
We asked Wendy why she paints these pictures. She says ‘I don’t drive, so I use lots of different public transport! I make a start on them, but I go back and change them over a long time – sometimes more than 10 years’.
We would encourage you to visit the exhibition because you won’t see things like this very often. It’s a very artistic show that will make you think and ask questions. You will love the colours.
We give the exhibition the following marks out of 10:
Sophie: 10/10
Anthony: 9/10
Derek: 10/10
‘Journeys’ is on display at the Level Best Art Gallery until the end of September 2025.
