‘what the water gave me’ by Lily Rigby started on the 9th of November with a very well attended opening event.

Between 12 and 5 o’clock over one hundred people came to take a look at Lily’s latest paintings, many of which were sold that first day. Visitors could not only enjoy some amazing art, but also drinks and a range of delicious canapés.

In her second solo exhibition at ONCA, Lily presented us with a very dramatic series of paintings. She started working on her first pieces during an artists retreat in Cornwall in the beginning of this year. Her sources of inspiration were the sky and the sea, which is clearly visible in her work. She plays with light and dark, with tones of blue and green, creating some extremely mesmerizing paintings.

Although they are abstract, their connection to the sea is unmistakable. They display various different ambiances caused by light reflecting on water, evoking a whole range of emotions. Her paintings are compelling and theatrical works of art, drawing the viewers closer and not letting them go.

Personally, I was fascinated about how she managed to properly create sceneries and vistas without going into much detail. She didn’t paint anything specific, and yet I could tell what could be seen on the canvases, especially when I looked at them from a bit further away. I didn’t expect to have such a strong emotional response to them. Normally, abstract art doesn’t have much of an impact on me. And yet, even though Lily’s paintings are abstract, they touched me on a very deep emotional level. It was an interesting and refreshing experience.

As well as being an enchanting exhibition, part of the earnings from the sold paintings were donated to the Cornwall based charity Surfers Against Sewage. Surfers Against Sewage are one of the UK’s most active and successful environmental charities, dedicated to protect the ocean and marine wildlife.

You can find out more about Lily and her work by visiting her Website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.