Shifting Emotions- Treacle the Turkey
09-15 /01 /2022
By Libby Rebecca Lilburn
35.5 x 45.5 cm (landscape)
Watercolour, water soulable pencils, inks, and coloured pencils
on Fabriano hot press 300lb watercolour paper
At the start of the pandemic I began looking after disabled chickens Betty & Tootsie, who became a lifeline for me during Scotland’s 1st lockdown.
As a disabled young person I knew I wanted to make my painting surrounding mental health and stigmas.
This painting of my pet turkey Treacle, who we got June 2020 as a birthday gift for my mum.
Through the summer I grew to understand that both people and animals are misunderstood by appearances alone, when in actuality there are sooo many nuances underneath the surface many are ignorant to.
In this piece I wanted to showcase this now new understanding to birds and myself through painting the many sides to Treacle.
His personality shifts so often that he is never of the same colour/hueone minute to the next.
I took advantage of the granulation effect watercolours have in playing with shifting hues and depicting threes “states” that I consider Treacle as.
Left being fiery/fierce Treacle- reds, oranges and pinks
Middle being wise and curious Treacle- blues, pinks and purples
And right being calm and content Treacle- blues, yellows and pinks
By Libby Rebecca Lilburn
35.5 x 45.5 cm (landscape)
Watercolour, water soulable pencils, inks, and coloured pencils
on Fabriano hot press 300lb watercolour paper
At the start of the pandemic I began looking after disabled chickens Betty & Tootsie, who became a lifeline for me during Scotland’s 1st lockdown.
As a disabled young person I knew I wanted to make my painting surrounding mental health and stigmas.
This painting of my pet turkey Treacle, who we got June 2020 as a birthday gift for my mum.
Through the summer I grew to understand that both people and animals are misunderstood by appearances alone, when in actuality there are sooo many nuances underneath the surface many are ignorant to.
In this piece I wanted to showcase this now new understanding to birds and myself through painting the many sides to Treacle.
His personality shifts so often that he is never of the same colour/hueone minute to the next.
I took advantage of the granulation effect watercolours have in playing with shifting hues and depicting threes “states” that I consider Treacle as.
Left being fiery/fierce Treacle- reds, oranges and pinks
Middle being wise and curious Treacle- blues, pinks and purples
And right being calm and content Treacle- blues, yellows and pinks