Emily Powell's Chapel Of Hope

The Chapel of Hope sees Emily Powell construct a chapel within her Devon studio, creating a monument of collective optimism and positivity. In October, artist Emily Powell always paints in her brightest colours. This is the month when, as a seven-year-old, Emily lost her father to cancer. As she approaches the anniversary each winter, Emily expresses her grief through the most colourful and vibrant paintings and this year Emily is arming herself for the season by enlisting the support of her audience in the creation of a work she has titled the Chapel of Hope. The Chapel of Hope will see Emily construct a chapel within her Devon studio, creating both a monument of collective optimism and an armory of positivity. In preparation for the installation, the artist reached out to her audience with a simple request; that they share their hopes with her - big or small - and from these submissions she pledges to create a collection of paintings honoring this fundamental part of the human spirit. Works within the chapel will be inspired by the hope for a full night’s sleep; for recovery from illness; for rain to follow this summer’s heatwave; and for peace across the world. The works will each be housed inside the chapel and protected by a hand-painted cloud of floating tigers suspended over the chapel's eaves. On the work Emily says ‘I wanted to create an intense and undiluted power source of hope to recharge and propel us all through the long dark winter months ahead. As the light of summer recedes into the shadows of winter I find I always need to dial up the colour and the vibrancy of my work and this year I have created a refuge for positivity which will be open to everyone from mid November.’