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The Tourist, oil on canvas by Jack Vettriano O.B.E

NOTES FROM A
TRAVELLER

Welcome to the  journal and notes of Grace Lambert-Phillips.

 

Grace started writing when she was around 8 years old, and wrote her first short story, typed and illustrated, from her bedroom floor. She became a traveller around the same time, even though for a while it was only in her stories until she was big enough to explore the world. Now she is living in Italy writing about her travels, discoveries and adventures. Sometimes she still writes from a floor, but more often she writes from her studio in Tuscany or on the move at some table somewhere. But the important thing, she realised a long time ago, was always to write and do it wherever she was.

Approaching Art - launching a new project for women



As I prepare to launch my new project today, I find myself reflecting, as I often do, on my grandmothers—two resilient women who stood firm in their quiet strength and became the bedrock of my life and work. The discourse around feminism is particularly vibrant at this moment, and it reminds me that in the act of rebalancing anything that has been suppressed, we may initially find ourselves in a state of disarray before reaching a harmonious equilibrium.


I hold deep appreciation for how my grandmothers lived their lives. They embraced their power as women—strong nurturers and community builders. They cultivated the ground from which I grew, nurturing the roots of our family and community with unwavering care. No one was excluded, and isolation was never an option. I never witnessed them complain; instead, when they looked into my face as a child, all I saw was acceptance and the space they held for my growth—as a child, a woman, and an artist. Of all the influences in my early life, their genuine feminine strength remains the most significant.


Today, as I hear discussions about feminism from various perspectives—men and women of all ages and backgrounds—I perceive a world that feels divided and confused, unsure of how to navigate this landscape. I was raised in an environment where art was a living, breathing process, woven into the fabric of everyday life. It flowed in my veins, and my grandmothers upheld that ethos without any judgment or doubt.


On International Women's Day in 2020, I launched my foundation in honour of my grandmothers, along with I See Your Strength, a project dedicated to celebrating women. This initiative illuminated the power inherent in femininity and how it manifests across the spectrum of what we often define as success—within the mother, the refugee, the CEO, the young, and the old. At that time, I was living in London, and in the first week of the project, I had the privilege of interviewing a diverse range of women. Among them was a refugee from Somalia who had fled for her life, a young rapper striving to be heard in a male-dominated industry, and the CEO and founder of MTArt Agency, Marine Tanguy —now one of the most influential art agencies globally. Meeting her in her London home, surrounded by the works of her artists, was truly inspiring—a testament to the idea of living art.


Marine Tanguy, I See your Strength 2020


I See Your Strength began to take shape quickly, evolving into what I envisioned as a wonderful project. However, 2020 brought unforeseen changes, and within a week, global events shifted everything. Like many others, I found myself on a different path and pivoted to a new initiative—telling the story of these world events through the lens of photographers. Thus, Stories of Isolation was born.


This project became an essential visual record of our changing times, serving as a powerful testament to the resilience and strength of humanity. The theme of community emerged prominently, echoing through the narratives and images we collected.


Rana Ozturk, Mersin, Turkey - for Stories of Isolation, 2020


So here we are in 2024, and on this day of the summer solstice, I am proud to announce my new project, Approaching Art. This initiative marks my return to a creative exploration dedicated to women. It is a celebration of female creativity, delving into what our art means to us and how we express it in the world.


This project will bring me together with some of the most celebrated and inspiring female artists globally for a series of discussions documented on celluloid. We will explore why we create, what inspires us, and how these experiences inform us in an ever-changing world. This conversation—a woman meeting another woman to discuss creation—feels profoundly powerful to me, and I am thrilled about what these exchanges may yield.


As with all my projects, there is an element of experimentation, and I sense that I am returning to the core reason behind my foundation: to celebrate women and art. I believe our strength lies in the foundations that root our creative energy, allowing us to surrender to who we truly are—creators of the world, beautiful and powerful.


Surrender, scultping in clay, GLP 2019

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NOTES FROM A TRAVELLER
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 © 2024 Lambert-Phillips Foundation
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