2011

July: Henley

Art on the River’s Edge

Whether you look at Tonia Williams rowing paintings in the Stewards Enclosure art gallery, or on-line at o4som.com , there’s little doubt you will be struck by the remarkable images of rowing the former British world lightweight champion has managed to create. They are full of bold, dramatic colours, energised by the movement of the boat as it cuts through the water, leaving dramatic waves and bubbles in its wake.

Her most striking painting is of a double scull, in the midst of their victory celebrations. It is painted just after they have crossed the finish line and a golden hue radiates out across the water from a double painted from a palette of red, white and blue.

“I have to admit that I had the very British nature of Henley Regatta on my mind when I created this image.’ said Williams, who went on to explain: “My art is very much about the impact the boat has on the water as a rower and the beauty of seeing rowing from above is that it gives the non-rower a slightly voyeuristic view of what’s going on in the boat”.

Her other two paintings are of an eight and quadruple scull. The former is in green and red and is striking for the synergy of the bow wave, puddles and wake all merging into one. The latter is a powerful image of an orange quad cutting a dramatic swathe through a very blue coloured river.

“The idea behind these is to show how flamboyant rowing can be”, said the New Zealand based Williams. It is an aim that she has certainly fulfilled.

June: Revisiting

March: Launch!

OarSport, Issue 79