Geraldine van Heemstra's Musical Lines exhibition has now moved to The Menuhin Hall following a very successful week at the A&D Gallery in London. Geraldine has been a regular visitor to the school over the past year, sketching pupils and teachers in their lessons and in performance. The resulting line drawings, etchings and oils will be at The Menuhin Hall for the duration of the Menuhin 100 Festival. Geraldine has also produced 12 limited edition prints of 10 etchings available as boxed-sets or individual prints.
Technically demanding, the prints use multiple etching techniques including hardground, softground, sugarlift-aquatint and drypoint. "Drypoint gives these works dark and unique lines of incredible delicacy and printing the sheets degrades the plates quickly which is why we are only able to offer the 12 sets", she explains.
Regarding her inspiration for this work, Geraldine notes:“With these sketches I am trying to capture the energy of the musicians, their character and characteristics in their movements and posture with a few simple lines. In the studio I work from my sketches and memory to create new images in the etchings, monoprints and oils. In these works it is very much about the texture and the play of the different lines that one can create.”
Those lucky enough to purchase one of these unique art works will be helping the School at the same time, as the proceeds of all sales will come directly to the School thanks to Geraldine’s generosity. “I believe one should support charities or causes that mean something important to you. A 50/50 energy flows to and from that,” says Geraldine. “In the case of the Yehudi Menuhin School, I love music and it is a real treat to be a ‘fly on the wall’ and listen to such young talent play whilst sketching. I have to capture the movements of the young musicians very quickly and this is definitely strengthening my ‘hand-eye’ coordination. I feel it feeds back into all other aspects of my work too.”
All art works are available for sale at The Menuhin Hall during normal box office opening hours, which are from 10 - 3 on weekdays and prior to concerts that are open to public sales.
Click here for more details of the Menuhin 100 Festival.