LIVING THE DREAM
Having lived in three different countries, artist Caroline Jervis yearns to return to the beautiful Italian city of Florence
Artist Caroline Jervis returned to her Ribble Valley roots around five years ago. Before that she lived in Australia and in Florence where she ‘lived the dream’ at the heart of western culture.
“I literally gave up everything to live in Florence,” she recalls. “I discovered I didn’t need to speak Italian to live there. My sons were grown up, so I was free to do what I wanted and, as an artist Florence represented heaven, there was never a dull moment.”
Living in one of Florence’s most picturesque areas, the Piazza Santo Spirito, which has one of Florence’s famous markets and the beautiful cathedral of Santo Spirito, Caroline became immersed in the art and culture of the city: “I had grown up with art as an important part of my life so I was definitely living the dream,” she says.
A prolific artist, Caroline’s style varies from contemporary figurative paintings to vibrant and intricate smaller decorative works, based on illuminated manuscripts.
Originally from Suffolk, Caroline emigrated to Australia in 1970 with her husband and three sons on what was then known as the ‘ten-pound Pom’ – an assisted passage scheme, devised to help populate Australia after WW2.
“When we arrived in Queensland, which was quite tropical, it was quite a shock to the system,” recalls Caroline. “But it provided a great life as my sons were all outdoorsy, so they had lots of freedom, it was all very relaxed.”
To make ends meet Caroline decided to study psychology and she graduated with an Honours degree and a Masters from Monash University. She went on to become a counselling psychologist and a lecturer at Monash where she went on to gain a Masters in Art, majoring in painting. It was during this time she had the opportunity to visit Florence with a group of fellow artists.
“It was a wonderful experience and I knew that’s where I wanted to live.”
Later during her time in Florence, Caroline produced many works based on the celebration of the city’s patron saint John the Baptist.
“Quite a lot of my subsequent work stemmed from that, it was a very inspirational theme.”
After four years, family circumstances meant that Caroline would leave Florence to return to the Ribble Valley where she has found inspiration for her work of a different kind.
“My father went to Stonyhurst and was killed in the war – his name is on the war memorial at the school,” says Caroline, who is planning a series of figurative reflective works around this theme.
Having recently held a highly successful exhibition at Dutton Hall near Ribchester, Caroline is planning a further exhibition at Browsholme Hall later on this year or at the beginning of 2020.
“This work will be based around rural life in the Ribble Valley,” she explains.
The exhibition will feature new work based on the theme of hunting, shooting, fishing, riding and other country pursuits. It will also include images of some of the local historic houses and landscapes.
Caroline’s paintings are striking in their originality, mostly oils on canvas – the paintings reflect Caroline’s hope, that while viewers will understand what they see, they will also see hidden meanings: “An abstract style is not for me,” she says. “I am very much inspired by the British artists of the 1930’s when authors such as C S Lewis and J R R Tolkein were at the forefront of intellectual life. I relate to artists such as John and Paul Nash as well as the Americans, Grant Wood and Edward Hopper.
“I think that a lot of my paintings gain inspiration from my psychology studies too,” adds Caroline, who is also currently working on a series of smaller works for a book she is planning.
“These are more decorative, meditative works influenced by illuminated manuscripts that are so beautiful. The book will probably feature about a dozen works – it is just really a celebration of being a visual artist who absolutely loves colour throughout a 50-year art career.”
“Some of my decorative work is quite playful as I like to spread my wings and try different styles,” explains Caroline, who says she enjoys the solitary pursuit of being an artist here in the Ribble Valley – a life very different from her time in Australia and Italy.”
“I have been a bit of gypsy really with all my travels,” she reflects. “The highlight was living in Florence with the Uffizi on my doorstep, my head was full of art – I would go back in a heartbeat!”
