I am interested in the elemental qualities of land and sea, and the histories they can reveal. My practice examines island landscape, coasts and seas of Scotland, focusing on marine ecologies and species, as well as the archaeology of the chosen location. Currently I am investigating how best to achieve this in the context of climate change and to encourage a respect for conservation of our environment.
It is the overall meaning of a subject which is most important to me, whether it is the sea, an island or a beach, a mountain or a peat bog, I aspire to give that place a voice in the present, while acknowledging the past. I begin with research so I can understand the essence and substance of the subject, be it layers of human history, cultural references or geological time. The work is revealed in layers of colour and surface texture.
Through the medium of screen printing I have recently repurposed a collection of used Admiralty Marine Charts to reflect the rising sea levels, history of place and marine biology of the Scottish coasts. I strive to see beneath the surface to celebrate the species that survive here but that face many threats imposed by human intervention and climate change.
By training and inclination I am a printmaker, but always alert to other methods to achieve the depth of meaning and material substance I seek. Direct interaction with soil, sea, plants and algae is an integral part of my practice and can manifest in hangings on muslin or paper, hand-made collaged papers, or combined with paint on canvas and paper.