Drawing and printmaking in East Sussex
In 2023 I graduated from the Royal Drawing School’s year-long Online Drawing Development Year programme (ODDY23).
My practice centres on drawing from life or en plein air, inspired by the beautiful Sussex countryside, its ancient woodland and organic forms in gardens. This means you might find me perched on a stool in a field, on a forest trail or in Great Dixter where I volunteer. Great Dixter is a historic house and garden and it was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd. It's a wonderful place to draw.
Working outside in the countryside has always been enough in itself and observational drawing forms a central pillar in my portfolio.
Back in the studio, I often develop my drawings into short limited edition prints, normally linocuts that can be bought from my Off.The.Desk. collection.
The ODDY23 course has opened up interests in topographical narratives and abstraction in landscape. By fully immersing myself in drawing, including wielding a brush, I’ve been working in colour more often and have introduced experimental approaches including digital drawing into my practice. I enjoy exploring analogue-digital ideas and pushing the boundaries of relief printmaking by creating an interplay between differing media such as making graphite imprints from collagraph-style blocks.
In future I’m hoping to show my work more frequently in public and as I love drawing outside, I would love to hear about residency opportunities in botanical and historic gardens, because I've loved joining the Royal Drawing School's Dumfries House residency and creating my Great Dixter diaries. I'm also looking for an open access print studio (preferably locally in East Sussex) to work on my etchings, experimental intaglio prints and to work at scale.
Thanks for taking time to look at my work.
Bio
2024: Dumfries House residency supported by the Royal Drawing School and the King's Foundation
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair 2024
Long-listed for the Jackson't Art Prize
Shortlisted but not hung in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2023: Royal Drawing School’s Online Drawing Development Year.
End of year group show: Notting Dale Campus 6-10th March 2024.
1988-2021: Worked in advertising for over ten years and then began leading large, high profile technical projects for consulting, corporate and government organisations.
1984-87: Leeds Polytechnic. Graphic Design: Illustration BA Hons.
1983-84: Stockport College. Art Foundation course.
Hell in a handcart, graphite imprint
From ODDY23 class: Museums without walls
