About the work

Inspiration is drawn from landscape, particularly that of the Yorkshire Wolds. Imagery is found, while walking, in the intriguing configurations of shape, pattern and light within this very special landscape.

I paint using acrylics and mixed media, occasionally oils. I also make limited edition collagraph prints. I enjoy combining collagraph with mixed media – creating one-off pieces with a print base.

I make charcoal drawings in situ and produce the paintings themselves in my studio. Expression is semi abstract, using loose non-descriptive mark-making and often ‘letting things happen’ while always maintaining balance and control of the composition.

Collagraph/Carborundum Prints

The image is collaged – glued/painted onto the ‘plate’, which is a piece of thin ply or card. Varying tones are produced by the different textures used – carborundum grits being the darkest. The plate is painted with thick, oil-based inks (the excess wiped off), then placed on the bed of the etching press with a sheet of dampened watercolour paper positioned on top. Felt blankets cover this and the bed is rolled through the press. The heavy steel rollers push the inks out of the plate into the paper, creating a richly textured print.
 
Approximately 20 prints can be taken from a collagraph plate. They are marked EU (Edition Unique), because colour is applied freely and therefore each print is slightly different.

Mixed media prints with additional drawing/collage are ‘one-offs’.