On Thursday 2nd October, Jonathan Parnham, artist and Art teacher at Marlborough College, gave an inspiring illustrated talk regarding his recent explorations studying and painting glacial environments in Iceland and Switzerland.
Being immersed in nature and working plein air proves to be vital to his creative process, allowing for time to capture the raw nature and atmosphere observed first hand and recorded within sketchbooks and Indian handmade paper. Mr Parnham mentioned: ‘My passion is to confront nature in all its raw majesty’.
The materials he works with include his own mixed inks, gouache and acrylic paint, tippex and coloured pencil for his plein air works, alongside manipulating acrylic paint with gesso on board, or canvas for his studio-based paintings and oil-based inks for printmaking. Often, the working process involves being mindful of the amount and weight of art equipment that can be carried on his mountain and glacial hikes.
Mr Parnham humoured the audience when he described the time his ink froze whilst working on location at 3,454 metres above sea level, sketching the stunning Aletsch Glacier from Jungfraujoch, Switzerland. Mr Parnham also reflected on the time he accidently dropped his sketchbook down towards an expansive and dangerous glacier moulin, and had to retrieve it with a pick axe whilst hiking upon the unique Sólheimajökull Glacier in southern Iceland.
Despite the environment being known as the sun glacier by Icelanders, he only ever experienced freezing, misty conditions during each hike undertaken on this foreboding terrain.
Reading and researching is important to Mr Parnham, he referred to several artists, authors and poets who have influenced his practice. Within the poem In Praise of Walking, Thomas Clark wrote: ‘What I take with me, what I leave behind, are of less importance than what I find along the way’. Mr Parnham followed up this quote by stating, ‘This essence of ‘what I find along the way’ is valuable to me, to always prepare for the unexpected’. This seems apt for the journey we can view within the paintings and prints he presented in this talk and his current exhibition held in the Mount House Gallery. Mr Parnham’s journeys further reminded us of a song by Miley Cyrus which includes the lyrics, ‘It is not about what is waiting on the other side, it’s the climb’.
Mr Parnham’s knowledge and passion for conveying the effects of climate change through his art was felt by all. He spoke of walking in the footsteps of artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, who had been similarly inspired by a hike on the lower Grindelwald Glacier, Switzerland in 1949. The remaining upper part of this glacier continues to fascinate Mr Parnham. Concluding his slide show presentation, he enthusiastically referenced artists such as Caspar Wolf and Ferdinand Hodler who each documented the glacier’s retreat through their paintings, created since the 18th Century and onwards to his own captivating paintings and printmaking.
Thanks to Mr Parnham for such an insightful and contemplative talk.
Pupil review written by Daisy M, Rosie L and Romy F.
