Original artwork description:

Mixed media on vintage book pages laid onto canvas.

My abstract painting is inspired by the famous woodblock print, ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa by nineteenth Century, Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

I am better known for her more figurative seascape and landscape paintings, which evoke a feeling of calm. But in recent years I have been following a desire to shift my work in a more abstract direction, simplifying and focussing on elemental mark-making.

The breakthrough in this shift took place when I attended a studio retreat which freed me up to pursue this direction. The paintings you make are like your handwriting, it’s very difficult to change your style and so you keep making the same marks. But instead of running away from them, the retreat taught me to embrace these marks and make theme the centre of my work.

When looking at the painting, the first thing that strikes you is the unusual surface that I paint on which is made from vintage book pages which are found in charity shops and old book shops, then collaged onto canvas. The foxing and patina of the old paper gives warmth and interest to the painting, just like the old woodblock prints.

The painting process itself is quite daunting as there is only one chance to get it right. If I’m not happy with it, I have to strip the paper off and start again.’ I paint in quick bursts using unconventional painting tools. In order to create a painting I am happy with, ’

I love their simplicity and the boldness of the marks.’ They owe much to chance, or the Japanese concept of Wabi-sabi, finding beauty in imperfection.

The painting is triple sealed with matt varnish and supplied in a hand stained dark wood frame.

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Materials used:

oil paint

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