CULTURE CLUB
WATERCOLOURS
Ali Ginn “I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in art,” insists watercolourist Ali Ginn. “My father was a gifted artist and won a scholarship to art school in his late teens, which he declined in favour of joining the RAF and training as a pilot. My sister Lindsay and I were always encouraged to draw, and subsequently both ended up studying for an art foundation in Cambridge.” Lindsay ventured down the path of fashion and textiles, eventually founding a successful gallery, while Ali took a different route: graphic design. She says she rediscovered fine art when she took a career break to have a family. “It’s impossible not to be inspired by Cambridge,” Ali says. “I often walk through the city in the early morning or evening when the streets are quiet and the sun is low – that golden light is a real catalyst to paint. My mother always enjoyed people watching, a habit I’ve inherited. It’s easy to imagine the feet that have walked through the colleges over the centuries – so much has remained unchanged. It’s a beautiful city and has inspired me to paint a body of work – ‘The Cambridge Collection’.” For Ali, who lives in a rural space, it’s not just the city that offers inspiration: “I’ve sketched and painted the local landscape in every season and also enjoy seeing the interaction humans have with the land – a close relationship and one I’m pleased to see of increasing respect.”
GOUACHE
Sarah, a printmaker, first came to Cambridge for the sole purpose of studying art. “I googled ‘children’s book illustration masters’ and Cambridge School of Art was the first hit,” she laughs. “I applied, honestly thinking that I would never get accepted, but I did, and the rest is history! She continues: “I feel that Cambridge must be one of the best places on earth to create art. Not only is it beautiful, providing endless inspiration, but there are also so many other artists and illustrators living here! Most days when I walk into the city centre, I pass someone sketching or painting. Each building is just chock-full of history, and I love getting stuck into a painting and trying to depict all of the little details. Every corner you turn down could become a new painting.” SARAH BETH HSIEH
20 NOVEMBER 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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