Q & A with Ann Thornycroft:

Drawing on Ann Thornycroft’s five decades of mastery, blending British formal training with the free-form energy of the 1970s New York and Venice, California art scenes, this Q&A explores the "unraveling" of the grid in her exhibition at Upstart Modern.

Q:You often talk about your work as a response to the "natural world." How does a mathematical grid translate to the English countryside of your youth or the light in Southern California?

A: Growing up in the English countryside, I was surrounded by memory and nature, but art school in London taught me the formal symphony of geometry. When I moved to Venice in the '70s, the light changed everything—it became more about perception and "perceptualism". The grid is the skeleton of the world, but the color and movement are the spirit. These paintings are "windows of the mind" where the structure of nature is finally set free.

Q: There is a certain alchemy in your process from sweeping washes, drips, to these recurring botanical arcs. Is the goal to reach a state of "mastery" or a state of "becoming"?

A: I believe we are always in a state of becoming. My process involves layering rigid structures with fluid, instinctual forms. The drips and unevenness on the surface aren't "mistakes"; they are the evidence of life. They remind us that true autonomy in art—and in life—comes from establishing a foundation and then having the courage to let it unravel into something beautiful and unpredictable.

Q: What do you hope a visitor "blinks" and sees when they first encounter this new body of work?

A: I want them to walk away with a heightened awareness of their own perception. I want them to look at a grid and see not just order, but a "colorscape" that challenges their certainties. By surrounding ourselves with these visual rhythms, we start to see the hidden patterns in our own lives, leading to a more intentional and extraordinary way of being.

"For me, to have to go through these turbulent times that we find ourselves in - in the world, not just here - it's just saving my life to be able to work, and it is the most important thing that I have, apart from my family."

About the Artist