Oxford

36 St Giles’, Oxford

Work showing alongside Tim Steward from our North Cornwall residency.  Around 40 works in total on paper, canvas and framed pieces.

‘Being away in the beauty of North Cornwall this time, and returning to our idiosyncratic rhythm, I have found myself remembering more and having time and space to dwell on fragments of writing and poetry that inform me and my work.  Nature, birds and flowers, along with the wish to create a sense of movement, continue to form the subjects of my work but I have found these subjects connecting more to an internal rhythm and memories within me.  Fragments of poetry have been returning and running through my mind when making work. 

The garden where we are overlooks the sea and contains some arresting visual sights.  A branch bearing red berries outlined against a winter’s sky gave inspiration for ‘Scratched Sky’ referring to a line from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ‘Rough Winds’ from the Atlantic come up from the valley towards where we are and shake the darling buds while I try and paint them, ‘Reticence Study’ obliquely refers to a Renaissance idea of Nonchalance where showing less is more.  The materials continue to direct the course of work made with ongoing explorations of pigment, gum arabic, producing the same image on different types of grounds, using venice turpentine with oil paints and experimenting with ways of applying ink on printing paper.’