Brushstrokes of Belonging

All too often family photographs sit forgotten on an iPhone or in an album, but for painter Arthur Timothy and his artist daughter Isabella, they have proven a rich source of inspiration. For Arthur, it was an oil painting he made from a black and white snap of his mother and some relatives at a function that kickstarted a change of career from architect to artist. Along with a second painting of both his parents, it was accepted into the 2019 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, which led to his first solo show. More recently, Isabella, who has “drawn or painted everyone in the family,” chose a photograph of her grandmother at home in Freetown for an experimental foray into oils as an alternative to the bold charcoal portraits she began making over 15 years ago.

The photographs that formed the basis of Arthur’s initial body of work were found in two large trunks belonging to his late father. “Dad spending time with these images makes him reminisce and tell more stories,” says Isabella. “It’s a way for us kids to learn about our family and ask questions we never thought about before.” Vivid large-scale paintings often depict family and friends in Ghana where Arthur was born, and life in Sierra Leone, where he grew up until the age of nine. “I remember being in Sierra Leone with dad and we had a lovely talk about his late brother Desmond. I was hoping he would take the time to use Desmond as a subject, which he did for an ensuing exhibition. It was one of my favourite shows; it made me feel like I knew him in a way,” she continues.

Arthur, who describes the process of capturing such personal subjects as cathartic, has also painted Isabella. “There’s a painting by Caravaggio called The Musicians, and I’ve inserted Issy and someone who is doing her hair; the composition works really well,” he says. “While I was doing architecture, I didn’t feel completely fulfilled. I had a kind of frustration; if you’re not careful you end up with a building where your vision has been compromised. Once I started painting and had freedom, I felt a lot better. I’ve been able to draw since I was very little and I like the process.” At the moment, he’s working on a new series of paintings for a July exhibition at London’s Gallery 1957, which play with narratives based on Sierra Leone’s Krio people (the descendants of freed slaves who were sent to Sierra Leone by the British to form a new type of society).

For Isabella, joy comes from “the physicality of making something from scratch” – whether its jesmonite candleholders and coasters for her homeware brand Kolé (currently on hold) or wearable textiles. “Right now, I’m doing a lot of sewing, knitting and crochet: I want to continue making clothing as a means to lower my consumption, especially now I know how many hours it takes to make a garment.” She is also helping Arthur with his website and social media. “Dad asks for our opinions and we talk about what questions he should be asking himself while making the work. It’s nice when he listens sometimes,” she jokes. “I listen to all the advice my wife and children give me,” continues Arthur, seriously. “My second son Duval has always told me to just enjoy myself, which I am.”

Growing up, making things was the norm for Isabella and her siblings. “My parents encouraged us to draw and paint on every holiday and we did pottery with our mum, who is a ceramicist. I realised during lockdown how unique that was,” says Isabella. “Duval is a multidisciplinary artist, and my other brother, Miles, has an encyclopaedic music knowledge, so everyone comes at art from a different angle. It’s an interesting amalgamation.” Although uncertain about the direction her own creativity might eventually take, she is buoyed by Arthur’s journey. “It’s lovely how dad’s art career has blossomed in recent years and it does make us all realise that there is time. I don’t know what I’m doing with my artistic practice but I feel like it will come and everything is possible.”

Arthur wears the TOAST Garment Dyed Linen Grandad Collar Shirt, Bill Stripe Wool Cotton Trousers and Stripe Wool Cotton Jacket. Isabella wears the TOAST Edo Stripe Jacket, Cotton Sleeveless Tee, Eden Wool Cashmere Raglan Cardigan and Japanese Denim Wide Leg Trousers.