I am a mixed media, collage artist and art tutor who lives and works in Worcestershire. Shape, colour and pattern in the outdoor/indoor environment all inspire me and help as starting points for the abstract work that I do. In the studio I work on several pieces at the same time. I mainly use paper and board. Both allow me to have a greater variety of mark making as opposed to canvas.

Once initial sketches and ideas have been put down the process then becomes intuitive. As shape and colour connect with each other, more layers are built up or scraped away with the acrylic paint. I then like to play with positive and negative space to make the general overall composition work for me. Then I am ready to start adding collage to the process.

Collage plays an important part in my work. I Specifically use collage images from art magazines and photocopies of artwork from my lessons. I like the idea of Text and images being buried, reworked, reformed as part of something new. Sometimes secretive, sometimes playful, I never tire of collage papers assisting in the creative process.

I prefer to work on a larger scale with collage paintings. The process takes a long time as layer upon layer of acrylic paint; collage; prints; work over the top of one another. Some areas will be sanded down then layered over again with new shapes until the composition works for me. Texture, shape and colour are all brought together to produce abstract paintings of interest in close detail as well as the overall considered composition.

This year I have had to focus on drawing/printing/collage processes which have been a more immediate way to work to get interesting results within the time limitations I have had. This has led to becoming obsessed with linear mono printing. Large paper collages have been produced from linear mono- prints constructed from different batches of printing. The process of layering/ collaging/painting creates order from disorder, order, disorder etc. I love the thrill of new collaged material going over the top of other marks to create something completely new and energetic from my perceived idea of the completed composition.

For more information about my art work and projects please click below.