Ann Lucas’ work is often based around her personal experiences of life with chronic illness. The many aspects of a change in one’s health and lifestyle open up a myriad of tiny details closely observed through the necessity of slowing down and examining the self and the responses to one’s environment. The highs and lows of living with chronic illness and pain can be illustrated through mixed media, sketches, paintings and more often soft sculpture and wall hangings. Some people consider pain to be an object, others, an event, for her it is an ongoing journey populated with visitors in the guise of unwelcome pain givers. In order to move forward and enable better dialogue the visitors are being welcomed and celebrated through the mark making with wools and other media. A visual language is being developed and the driver of creativity is pain. A remarkable source of previously untapped creativity is poured into her needle felted wall hangings and 3D sculptures with the aim of communication and dialogue.
The use of soft textiles as a medium has opened up new ways of mark making and enables a user friendly method of sculpting that can be worked with relative ease and low impact on the physical body. The manipulation of the soft materials into solid shapes represents the transition of physical body into the unknown shapes and contortions caused by physical illness. To transform the old into the new is to overcome and develop new techniques that celebrate the changes within.
Ann has been influenced by pagan and mythical stories, often with illustrations, that have been present throughout her life and carries over into her personal sphere and her own beliefs. The intensity of nature and the outdoors feed her imagination and supply endless opportunities for expression.
Ann has a History degree and also studied at Swansea Metropolitan University and gained an MA in Contemporary Dialogues.