About me
I grew up in rural Wiltshire and have lived and worked in both England and France. I completed both my BA in Drawing and Applied Arts, and a Masters in Multi-Disciplinary Print at the University of the West of England and I now work from my studio at the Stroud Valleys Artspace in Gloucestershire.
As an artist, surface is very important to me. I am constantly inspired by the ‘found object’ and the traces and marks left behind from its history and narrative. The process of this ageing and its acquired patina, and how this affects the object, directly influences the surface qualities that I seek to create in my work. Re-tracing the changes that each object has endured over time, I seek to maintain the intrigue often present when ‘found marks’ are revealed. This unconscious marking and scripting brings with it, a delicacy and an ethereal quality of line on a surface, that continues to influence me. Equally, using found papers, letters and books that are worn, torn and stained, I reinvent and reinterpret these to form both geometric and figurative pieces often with a new narrative and sometimes with a hint of humour.
How I work
I collect ephemera and found objects and these findings are the starting point to my work. Process is a key part of my practice. I combine, assemble and edit these found fragments that are then often drawn over, torn or folded and stitched to present a new story. A whisper of a trace, a pin-prick line and stitching binds these objects and images together.
My process leads me to collecting and archiving marks and traces, recording them, documenting them and de-constructing the shapes they form. I have no idea or pre-conceptions as to how a piece will look when finished. The paintings evolve and ideas emerge as I am working. This patina and how it affects the object, directly influences the surface quality I create. I prefer to work across several pieces at the same time and always look to achieve that moment of serendipity.
When beginning paintings, I create and work extensively, building a layered surface. Images and objects are transcribed and re-interpreted, often forming abstract marks. These surfaces are reworked and interrogated, elements of print, drawing and stitch bind the surface together partially obscuring and uncovering traces.
The increasing use of scripts and found objects within my painting work, led me to explore my present love of, and fascination with, paper ephemera which has resulted in my current collage work. I have always loved the process of sourcing and collecting the papers and materials. I am drawn to ephemera that is often discarded and imperfect, vintage books, postcards and found photographs which I use to create my collages.
Publications
Arizona Collage Collective / Collage Magazine
Contemporary Collage Magazine
Collazine