For Linda Felcey, art has always been a way of paying attention. Her work is deeply observant, shaped by the world around her and the passage of time. A painter, printmaker and artist based in East Sussex, Linda is taking part in Heart Research UK’s anonymous heART project for a second time. She speaks to us about finding her way as an artist, the memories that shape her work and why this cause means so much to her.
What inspired you to take part in Heart Research UK’s anonymous heART project this year?
“It’s the second time I’ve been invited and I always feel very privileged and grateful to be asked to contribute to something like this, because it has a direct impact on a really good cause. This charity and its mission are quite personal to me, because my own father died from heart issues when I was quite young, about 30 years ago. I often think that, with the technology, research and developments we have today, things might have been very different for him. So, I think it’s a great joy to be able to contribute. It’s not just about raising money; it’s about creating something that benefits people, supporting important work and being part of something that encompasses so much more.”
Could you tell us about your dad’s cardiac journey?
“He had a major heart attack when I was 18. He was 48 at the time and it was a very serious one. He was quite lucky to survive. It was largely down to stress and a combination of other factors, and unfortunately, he never fully recovered. Then, 12 years later, he had an operation that was still quite experimental. It was one of those situations where there was a 50/50 chance and he did survive the operation. He lived for another six weeks, but it was a very difficult time.
“Looking back, I think things would have been very different today because of what we now know and what can be done with advances in technology and medicine. But that’s life; those are the things that happen. So yes, it’s a very personal cause for me and it’s a real driving force behind why I want to contribute.”
How would you describe your artistic style and what informs your work?
“I’m a fine artist. I paint, print and draw, and all of my work comes from what surrounds me. My pieces are very connected to the senses and the suggestion of the passage of time. They’re about moments of being, the perishability of life and transient beauty.
“My work is very sensory. It’s about the senses, about paying attention, and about capturing moments. It’s also about memory, how things can hold memories, connections and meanings for different people. And ultimately, whether anyone sees that or connects with it in the way I intended isn’t the most important thing. Everyone takes something different from a piece and I think that’s what’s lovely about it.
“My work is also informed by poetry, prose and words. They play quite a big part in the interpretation and the feeling behind the pieces. I don’t always know exactly where I’m going. I sometimes get a bit lost along the way, which happens. When that does, I often turn to other artists, poets or writers to recalibrate and bring me back to where I am, to help me reconnect with what I’m trying to express. There’s a really lovely quote by the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins where he describes this extraordinary awareness of being and he calls it ‘the taste of self’, for me, that idea holds so much.”
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an artist?
“I was brought up in a house where, in terms of art, we didn’t really have much around us. But my father did archaeology on the side, so I used to go on digs with him, which was a really interesting experience. I was a big daydreamer, so I think that sense of observation and imagination was always there. After my A-levels, I left home and went to Grimsby School of Art, which at the time still had a strong history. That experience completely changed my life. It opened up a whole new world for me. From there, I went on to art college in London, which was a polytechnic at the time and that’s where things began to develop.
“Of course, life moves on. I did stop working as an artist for quite a number of years when I had my three children, who are now in their twenties. During that time, I spent a lot of energy doing other creative things, baking lots of cakes, knitting, weaving, textiles, anything that was manageable at the time. Looking back, I think that period was actually incredibly informative. I don’t think I’d be doing what I’m doing now in quite the same way if I hadn’t had children. It gave me a deeper understanding of things. I think I might have just carried on plodding along and perhaps felt a bit lost, whereas having that time grounded me and gave me a different perspective on my work.”
What do you enjoy painting?
“When I was around 17, I used to go out painting landscapes a lot; that was my happy place. I’d get my bag, put in some watercolours and a sketchbook, and just go off and hide away in a hedgerow for a few hours. It was a way of putting yourself back together, thinking about everything, and daydreaming, which I think is incredibly important in life. To be able to disappear for a while and just be present is a very meditative experience.
“Then, I don’t know exactly why, perhaps having children shifted my perspective a little but I started painting quieter things: beautiful objects, small moments and things from the garden. I still paint landscapes, and I still draw them. They’re all about the same things: the seasons, light, the breeze, a sense of breath and movement. They’re all about that sense of the ephemeral, those fleeting moments that don’t last, but that you can capture for a little while.”
Why do you think initiatives like the anonymous heART project are important?
“I’d encourage anyone to get involved. It’s incredibly heartwarming. Giving something is one thing, but if you have creative skills, you can use them to make something really special that helps a good cause.
“I love watching the auctions. I get genuinely excited when people start bidding, because you realise that every bid is raising money that goes directly towards something important. It’s such a worthwhile cause and it really is a feel-good experience all round. It makes you feel good to know you’ve been able to contribute in a meaningful way. So yes, I’d absolutely encourage anyone to take the time to get involved.”
Linda lost her father to heart disease when she was just 18 and thirty years later, his memory is still a powerful part of why she contributes to the anonymous heART project. By sharing her work, Linda is helping support research that could give other families a different story to tell. Sign up to hear more about the project, discover the artists and their stories and be among the first to know when the auction opens for bidding.