Artist Statement
I created this short film for Spring Fling Open Studios 2021. It shows the first part of my process in the creation of my handprinted, hardbound notebooks.
I'm a Printmaker based in Wigtown, SW Scotland where I own and manage an Art Gallery in the heart of the town. Drawing upon my experiences as an arts practitioner, curator and former Chair of Upland Arts Development CIC, I also produce a programme of workshops for all ages and abilities and free resources to support emerging artists. All of my creative endeavours are juggled with parenting four young children.
An Illustrator and Printmaker, my work has been heavily influenced by my background in Digital Design. I find myself driven by the desire to create a piece of work that is graphically as well as visually pleasing. Having been introduced to printmaking at Edinburgh College of Art, it has remained my medium of choice. It is a process that lends itself well to strong visual design, whilst the physicalities involved in the creation of a piece of work make me more involved in the process than I was when using technologies.
My work is often described as ‘nostalgic’. Perhaps this is not surprising as it is heavily influenced by patterns and typography found within my environment and found objects. I am particularly inspired by packaging designs and ghost writings. Embracing the past, the thrown away and pre-loved I seek to create something fresh and contemporary, engaging with the modern viewer of my work and challenging their perception of these objects that they now take for granted. It is this sentimentality and fondness for the past that has influenced my work and life as an artist.
As I become increasingly concerned for our environment, I hope that my work can be used to challenge the “throw away” culture we have adopted, through finding the beauty in the fragility of these objects that were once treasured.