Artist Statement

I'm currently a second year Fine Art, Painting and Drawing student at the University of Northampton. 

My work focuses on natural imagery. This continues from my year 1 focus on trees and branches, and how they are intertwined, as well as how they respond to different backgrounds. I developed from this an interest in ‘crowded’ imagery in nature, emphasising contrasting light and dark areas and the relationship these close objects have with one another in different contexts. 

To further these ideas, my work is driven from photography, consisting of animals, natural forms and portraiture.

Photography is of great importance within my practice, though, in response to the claim from Paul Delaroche, ‘From today, painting is dead,’ I believe this isn’t true- photography only broadened the scope of art, instead of rendering artwork and creativity useless. I’ve chosen to take advantage of photography in my current practise, ranging from realism to heavily filtered/edited images. Experimenting with black and white photography and editing allowed me to study deeper into the detail of trees and other natural elements. Oil paint is my main medium- it allows for smoothness and layered detail which I find useful in the portrayal of trees and nature. . I find inspiration from artists who draw upon emotions and memories, I’m interested in the depth this visually, spiritually adds to their practise, and look to create similar feelings.