Painter
Paula Thistleton is a contemporary painter who explores feminism, ageism, loneliness,
connectedness and family dynamics. Her work considers what it means to be a woman
reaching the age of freedom from the demands of paid work, navigating living alone, and
finding new purpose and direction. As well as how one might renegotiate relationships with
partner/s (lovers), friends and family whilst challenging the idea of being invisible and
overcoming the fears associated with the deteriorating vitality of an aging body.
Themes are initially explored through the iPhone taking photos of life around her, people in
cafes, commuting on trains, walking, shopping. Photos are candid and ‘in the moment’
anything that potentially could support and inspire and become her subject. These images
are bolstered by making quick sketches of the people who pass through her day. These
quick studies will often form the basis of her paintings. They tell the stories of what Paula
observes.
Paula’s work has an ironic lens. Her paintings use bold colours with loose draftsmanship,
and her work may incorporate found materials and objects to support the aesthetic and
narrative. These materials may also be collaged. The injection of decorative stitching into
her work acknowledges ‘women’s craft’ and the contemporary realisation that mending,
reusing, and repurposing make for a more sustainable approach to mindless consumption.