Vivid, vital and vibrant colour is the order of the day at a new Edvard Munch-inspired exhibition in Petersfield.

Artist Catherine Knight, 41, has opened her first solo showing of this series of Norwegian-inspired paintings: Long Shadows in March, at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery. It runs until June 3.

Catherine is a lifelong admirer of Munch, who left all his work to the state in Norway, so to see his work, she had to go on ‘a pilgrimage.’ 

Last February she visited the 13- floor purpose-built museum dedicated to Munch’s (1863-1944) work and his summerhouse in Åsgårdstrand, a small town on the Oslo Fjord.

The Long Shadows exhibition depicts her experience of visiting Munch’s house. Catherine says: “The sky was bright blue, and the building was orange and yellow.

“The show is called Long Shadows because I visited in February on a very cold and icy day with a strong low sun. So everywhere I went I was presented with my own long shadow of my silhouette.

“Munch’s shadow also features in his own work so I was reminded of me being on my own, on this pilgrimage.”

There is a variety of different-sized works, in gouache, watercolour and oil, capturing the immediacy of the moment like a quick sketch. 

“I enjoy working on a large scale as well as on a small scale – it’s a different feeling. When working with oil I try to keep the looseness and fluidity of a watercolour painting, so I work with quite thin oil paints in layers.” 

Catherine has exhibited widely. Museum curator Louise Weller contacted her to host the exhibition after discovering the Bristol-based artist via Instagram.

During lockdown she was part of ASP (The Artist Support Pledge), a global initiative that helped artists sell smaller pieces of their work for under £200.

It led to a project called Isolation Windows where she produced more than 180 small works of pictures of other people’s windows, from images that were sent to her. 

The gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm (last entry at 4pm). Admission is £8 for adults, £4 for those aged five to 17, with under-fives free.

Noni Needs