New Arundel exhibition celebrates the lives of female writers and literary characters

Gallery director Holly Fox-Lee said: “From Mrs Dalloway to Jo Sweeting, Women & Word is a celebration of the lives of female writers and literary characters. Daisy Harcourt explores the unique discourse between artist and writer alongside a fascinating series of portraits featuring contemporary women, each sitter with a personal connection to the written and spoken word.

“A selection of new and recent drawings largely created especially for the exhibition will be presented at The Mill Studio in Arundel. The work of the artist is concerned with people, faces and pattern, through portraiture. Daisy tenderly creates works in which the character of the person coexists seamlessly with her impression of them.

“Celebrating women and word, Daisy Harcourt has created an insightful world around the fictional characters of female writers and the writers themselves. We are invited to immerse ourselves in the unique lives of many women who come to life as she captures an expression, a gesture, or a phase of life that is unique to that individual. Included are Dame Daphne du Maurier, Clarissa Dalloway, Arrietty Clock, Elizabeth Bennet and many more of Jane Austen’s most tantalising characters.

“This series will be accompanied by 14 Portraits, an ode to inspirational contemporary women including Jo Sweeting, a sculptor and letter-carver, whose work is informed by the concept of ‘shul’, a marking which remains after the thing that has made it has passed. All the sitters have written remarkable pieces which will be displayed with their portraits expressing their unique relationship with the written and spoken word and these will be displayed with the work.”

Daisy said: “In Women & Word the fictional characters I drew were particularly interesting to create because I imagined each character from many perspectives, the writer’s, the reader’s and even from other characters in the book they were from.”

Holly added: “With inspiration taken from artists such as Paula Rego, Denise de Cordova, Louise Bristow and Cathie Pilkington, it is clear that Harcourt appreciates the playful, enterprising, and engaging quality synonymous with these artists.

“Weald Contemporary is an art gallery in the heart of Sussex without permanent premises. Weald Contemporary benefit from the ability to bring the best in art from Sussex and the south to a range of audiences via their pop-up exhibitions. With a focus on promoting both new and established British talent while fostering a multigenerational conversation about art, Weald Contemporary aims to champion owning art from living artists.”

The exhibition is at The Mill Studio, New House Farm Barns, Ford Lane, Arundel, BN18 0EF. Closed Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday 10am-3pm; Thursday 10am-3pm; Friday 10am-3pm; Saturday 10am-4pm; and Sunday 10 am-4pm. Free.