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ARTIST: JULIE SIMMONDS
“On the wing“ is one of a series of ink paintings I produced in res
ponse to watching the swifts swoop and swirl in the air as they arrive in spring. Using ink and the fluidity of water enabled me to convey a sense of a suggested environment. I was particularly drawn to their striking silhouette and their amazing agility in flight. They are incredible animals and can eat, sleep and mate on the wing; they hardly ever land. We tend to think of them as very British birds but they spend most of their lives in Africa, migrating as they naturally respond to the changing seasons. I made this series of ink paintings in unison with a series of ceramics called “Flight“ made in collaboration with local potter David Pope.
COMPOSER: ALICE KNIGHT
Age 12 – The Downs School, Compton
I have always been interested in composing, and my music teachers and my family have been very
encouraging. Now that I have reached secondary school, my music teacher, Miss Blake, has helped me to continue to develop as a composer, particularly by introducing me to some of the different styles of composing. I chose to compose for Julie Simmonds’ painting ‘On the Wing’ because to me there was an immediate sense of movement throughout it. The flock of swifts all seemed to be circling in the same direction, which gave me the idea of having a recurring theme throughout the composition.