Behind The Door

Tori Woolley

14/08/24

Picture this- as you are sat in another boring lesson in a classroom, your mind starts to wonder and you begin to doodle on any piece of paper you can find.

 

Whether it’s a quick sketch of a sun in the corner of our page, or a series of lines and swirls in the margin, doodling is an activity that many of us associate with childhood memories, allowing our minds to embark on our own creative path.

 

However, this creative childhood activity is a form of art that deserves to be recognised!

 

Between the 22nd and the 25th August, local artist Tori Woolley shall be bringing their first- ever solo exhibition, ‘Yoodles’, to the Upstairs venue above Moosey Gallery, allowing us to witness the beauty of doodling for ourselves.

 

A few weeks ago, I caught up with Tori to discover their journey as an artist, how they were feeling ahead of their upcoming exhibition, as well as their plans for the future, too.

 

When did your journey as an artist begin?

At an early age painting and drawing always felt so natural and comforting, that I would find myself gravitating towards a canvas, and spending hours paintings what was in my head.

Some of my earliest memories would be my mum telling when she dropped me at playgroup, I would be off in a blink, on my way to claim one of the easels, already hands deep in paint, and coming home with hoards of splats and paintings. At that age though I didn’t see myself as an artist, I just knew I really loved creating, whether it be painting or playing with shapes, enjoying the creative freedom that came with it.

That feeling has never left, I would get excited if it involved anything that would spark my imagination. It also became a comfort for me when it came to school, I was never the best with maths or spelling, even though I did enjoy creative writing and making up my own stories, to accompany my doodles and characters.

 

How are you feeling ahead of first solo exhibition of your new Yoodles collection?

Honestly it feels unreal to be hosting my first exhibition between the 22nd – 25th of August. I feel that I have found an amazing space to display my art. I have always been so unsure about putting the Yoodles out there for the public, with the uncertainty of whether people will like the artwork or understand how and why they are an important part of my life.

But now, with having shared and collaborated with people who took the time to see my art and tell me the positive feeling they get when seeing it, has really motivated me to let others share in my story and artwork.

 

What was the inspiration behind this exhibition?

I am inspired to share my story and show what a positive effect being creative can do for mental health.

Also, to host my own art Exhibition has been a dream that has been on my mind for years, and feels even more sentimental, having an art form on display that personally connects to who I am, and has the potential to reach out to others.

My Yoodles Art is different from the traditional art style in Norfolk, and I hope to bring a new sense of creative imagination and art style to Norfolk with the hopes to inspire others, who love to express themselves through bold colours and characters on the canvas, and to share their work with the world.

 

What is ‘Yoodling’?

Yoodling, to me, is an art form which helped me cope with my anxieties, by transferring those thoughts and feelings, and reshaping them into a positive outlet which allows my minds to close out what was going on around me, and focus on being in the moment
to autonomously draw, resulting in shapes that then evolve into characters.

The word Yoodles, combines Doodles and “YOU.” I wanted it to feel like a relatable creative outlet.

We have all doodled at least once in our lives, whether it was to create art or was a random action whilst on the phone.

It is something that connects us, and it may not always make sense what we doodle, but as long as you enjoy the process, and you find that is helps you express your thoughts, and reconnect with your imagination, is what My Yoodles stand for.

Many people may associate doodling with memories of being bored in school and drawing- but why do you believe it should be classed as an art?

You can say that being bored can be another way that the mind has been overstimulated or trapped in a monotonous routine where the person feels repressed and the need to expel their thoughts and energy. Doodling allows people to re-engage their mind and imagination, which creates an outlet for them to re-focus and destress their mind.

It may not be the traditional art form, which I also do in the form of fine watercolour wildlife paintings, but my Yoodles have captured people’s attention, young and old, on my large trail sculptures and many have said that one character can be seen in so many different ways, initiating conversation about what they would see or feel.

 

What impact do you aim to have on those who engage with your work?

I hope to inspire others to find their creative route that helps with their own personal mental health issues.

No character is alike, other than my main two original characters, Dino and Dustbunny. Each character is unique in the eye of the viewer. I look to bring people together and create conversation by engaging people in what they feel and imagine each Yoodle character to be.

Childhood memories is an important emotion and topic for me, so I invite everyone to immerse themselves within the art to see if it sparks any memories that bring a sense of childhood wonder back that they may have forgotten, as I feel that it’s important for people to have that reconnection with their childhood memories, to relive those fond moments that are blurry, but not forgotten.

 

Do you like to experiment with your work?

Experimenting new ways of techniques and styles is something I have enjoyed doing throughout my creative journey.

With the upcoming Yoodles Exhibition there has definitely been a play with different techniques that have brought the Yoodles to life in a number of ways.

I won’t give too much away but I am super excited to showcase my 3D sculptures, and installation piece that gives the illusions of the Yoodles projecting of the canvas, with each character refracting light to change the colour of the clear acrylic canvas.

 

What power do you believe art holds?

Art has so many potential ways to change the perspective and view of how people can first perceive a piece of art. Art finds a way to speak to people without needing to contain words. When people view art there are times when it has an emotional or spiritual change on the person, and they feel connected to the subject, colours, and/or technique.

Art can make you smile, ignite memories, open discussions and is something that can be shared with others or experienced on your own.

 

Have you got any more plans for 2024?

Plans are already in motion for my next Yoodles exhibition in October, at the gallery Harrods of Hingham, where I will be moving to my first home, and starting the next stage in my artist journey. Once the dates are finalised, I will be sharing the news of the Yoodles return.

I plan to visit Worcestershire to see my penguin design for WildinArt on trail during ‘WaddleofWorcester’ And take part in the penguin auction where all the penguin sculptures are auctioned off to raise funds for the charity St Richards Hospice.

So, I am definitely not missing a moment to see my design, Kingfisher Azure, take stage and do the charity proud.

 

Where can we head to keep up to date with your work as an artist?

People can find me on Facebook, as The Pink Hare, or on Instagram, under thepinkhareuk, along with my new account YoodlesArt, that I look to start featuring more of my Yoodles art and story on there soon.

My new website “thepinkhare.co.uk” will be officially back in action hopefully a week before the debut of the Yoodles first exhibition, featuring a cross over between my Wildlife art, and my Yoodles. On my website you will be able to subscribe, view my latest projects, events, and an introduction of an online shop.

I look forward to growing as an artist with my Yoodles, and taking everyone along on the Yoodle journey, as the Yoodle-verse evolves, and their story