I am an artist based in Aberdeen and graduated from Gray’s School of Art in 2017 with BA (Hons) Painting. In my garden studio, I capture memories of fleeting moments and calm in the beautiful local gardens and woodlands that are right on our doorstep.
I have chronic illnesses which force me to live life at a slower pace. It is through living with these limitations that I am even more appreciative of time spent in nature, being still. Taking it all in.
Daydreaming, I see nature with an almost child-like, playful curiosity. I move closer, look under and over. The light dances, putting on a performance. Then I sit for a while. I wonder what the trees might see as they peer down into their own reflections. Can they see themselves in ponds and puddles that hold their own little worlds? What do tiny creatures see as they stop to gaze through a gap in the ferns? I rest for a while, looking up as the leaves glow, the sun catching them at just the right moment.
Whilst I reflect, my approach in the studio is experimental and hands-on. It is an intuitive and sensory experience. I play, using an unusual combination of materials and processes. I often begin with watercolours and then use vibrant encaustic wax melted with an iron and carve details into the surface. After that, I layer oils with resins, powdered pigments and pastels, using what feels right in that moment. I bring the painting together by getting lost in the tiny details.
I want to celebrate the therapeutic nature of painting and share the dream-like moments that being outside brings to us if we slow down and take time to notice them.