Unveiling the Narrative Behind a Captivating Painting Series

The Heartbeats Underground series is one of my favourites, and is also a winner with my patrons and the card publishing company Dry Red Press.

In a previous blog I have talked about why I paint a series, and how I limit the number in any series to seven pieces. Often I only come up with the first few paintings in the beginning, but this series was special and I came up with all of them straight away.

The Idea in the Night

The first idea for this series came to me one night when I was staying in a hotel in Norwich, during that short period between wakefulness and sleep. This time, known as hypnagogia, is a special time and is well recognised as being a highly creative "twilight zone". It doesn't happen to me often, but when it does it results in a creative solution or creative new idea and it's amazing! On this occasion I leapt out of bed and sketched my idea and wrote it all down. Then I was able to sleep!

I remember this time really well because I was staying over for the two day Art Fair East event. The next morning I excitedly told my fellow artist, Laura, all about it and proceeded to sketch more in my little book during the quieter times of looking after our stand.

As I explored the idea more I realised it was full of symbolism and reflected a landscape where three main elements drew together a feeling of calm, cosiness and wonder. This realisation deepened my connection to the project and guided my creative process.

I debated whether to call it 'The Heart Beats Underground', or 'The Heartbeats Underground'. But I settled on the latter because it described ALL life underground whether you could see the creatures or not. It draws attention to the all the hidden life in a landscape.

Most of the time we only see a fraction of the wildlife about - perhaps a few birds and the fleeting sight of deer, badger, hare, rabbits and squirrels. The majority of the time they are out of sight, tucked away from the elements and predators, leaving only droppings, spoor and tracks in the ground. For me, it creates a rather romantic mental image of animals safely resting in their nests or dens, feeling cosy, warm, and safe.

The Sketches and Paintings

The Heartbeats Underground sketch

The Heartbeats Underground ©Deborah Burrow

The Heartbeats Underground II sketch

The Heartbeats Underground II ©Deborah Burrow

The Heartbeats Underground III sketch

The Heartbeats Underground III ©Deborah Burrow

The Heartbeats Underground IV sketch

The Heartbeats Underground IV ©Deborah Burrow

The Heartbeats Underground V sketch

The Heartbeats Underground V ©Deborah Burrow

The Heartbeats Underground VI sketch

The Heartbeats Underground VII sketch

There are still two more paintings to do, and they are next on my easel so that six and seven are ready for autumn and winter shows.

The Elements of Each Artwork

The featured animals are those that I love the most, the fox and the badger. They work well in paintings when they are painted small as they are easily recognisable. For many years we had foxes making their dens in the wild part of our back garden. Badgers are very secretive and very rural so we don't see them, but because they are an iconic part of British wildlife I wanted to use them.

At the age of 10, I won an art competition and the prize was a book on British Wildlife, signed by a local artist. It was a beautifully illustrated book, and I was particularly fascinated by the creatures that led secretive quiet lives, especially underground. I still have this book, and coupled with what I learned from being raised in a rural hamlet in Suffolk, I feel I had a rich introduction to nature.

Trees make their usual frequent appearance in my art works. I really love trees and they are such an important part of life. Not only do they support the abundance and diversity of the planet, but they carry a spiritual significance too. For me they are a connection between terra firma and the heavens. Their roots are firmly grounded to the earth and their branches reach up toward the sun and the cosmos. There is a wealth of research into the secret lives of trees from the underground connections they make to how they sustain the environment in which we and all living creatures depend on.

Wide open countryside is a feature that connects with my very existence. I grew up in it and it brings me deep joy and peace, which is a precious thing in a rapidly changing world. Fields, meadows, hills and mountains will always be a feature in my paintings, whether drawn from on-location experiences or from my memories or imagination. Each season brings its own special characteristics from light quality to colours. They bring challenges and joy when I consider them, and I can't wait to get started, as soon as I've drawn and planned a new painting in my sketchbook.

To conclude, 'The Heartbeats Underground' is a special series to me. it brings together elements that on the surface work well, but when looking deeper, touches on some important subjects to do with the ecosystem, biodiversity and climate of our planet. I ask the question, "Will it remain this way in the decades ahead?"

I sincerely hope so. I want the future generation to know the pleasure and comfort I got from my experience of nature in the same way I did (and continue to), by protecting the fragile existence of life on our precious planet.

Debs x