June Spotlight: Cally Vaile – Figurative Artist

Cally has an adventurous spirit and has travelled extensively. She was inspired to paint this powerful landscape which we have chosen as her featured image.

As Cally explains “I visited Yunnan Province in China and had the thrill of walking down a steep stairway to the bottom of Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is 16km long and at its deepest 3900m.

“The ancient legend tells of a tiger leaping 30 metres to the safety of a rock in the middle of the treacherous & turbulent river, to avoid a hunter.”
Another of Cally’s paintings which is strongly rooted in place is “Salt Pan Mill, Sicily”

“We walked past the salt pans at Trapani on the west coast of Sicily on my birthday on a hot & sunny October day. The mills stand proud and tall in the water and the crystalline salt is still harvested.”

The Salt Pans of Trapani and Paceco are a protected historic wetland renowned for traditional sea-salt extraction amidst windmills, pink coloured basins and amazing biodiversity.

Many of us know Cally as a former Chair of The Arts Society Sandwich and a passionate driver of our support of Young Arts in our local Sandwich schools at all levels. One of Cally’s greatest pleasures is being on the panel of judges for junior and secondary school art prizes.

Cally was also instrumental in setting up our volunteer involvement in the Goodnestone House
library cataloguing project. You can read more about this on our website.

Cally took up painting in retirement, not having lifted a brush since O levels. She attends a regular Art Group, where the teacher demonstrates, guides and encourages – rather than slavishly teaching specific techniques.

“Tulips” is a definite departure from Cally’s travelogue paintings. Completed in her art class
where students were encouraged to fill a large canvas.

‘Tulips’ was fun as it involved using a new and challenging technique.
As well as a very large canvas with a textured surface, I used handmade stencils and a roller to create the image. No fluid brush
strokes allowed”

Cally has worked across a range of mediums, including mixed media. She likes to choose subjects which in some way  relate to her own experiences and knowledge.

Cally has chosen  “In my Life” by The Beatles as her mood music. She is frequently inspired and moved by the places she has visited.