25 x 19cm - Akua and Charcoal Monoprint.
Titled from ‘Hazy, Massed, Dappled’ by Lesley Saunders.

I characterise my paintings as gestural and experimental with a strong emphasis on the attempt to capture the essence of specific elements of the landscape. In the case of these monoprints, my mark-making was heavily influenced by the changing skies over the Atlantic during the winter months, and the relationship between water and air. They respond to the site of Bolus Head, looking across the ocean towards The Skelligs, in West Kerry.

The imagery is not grounded in representation, but rather a reimagining of the atmosphere of a site. The works depict a blending of sea and sky, where the horizon line moves in and out of focus. The wind-blown clouds quickly shift, opening bright for short moments, then veiling the scape once again. There is an urgency in the clouds depicted through haphazard mark-making and an evocation of West Kerry’s battering storms. The application of ink is fluid; scraping, scouring and pushing colour across the plate. My hand is heavy, sporadic, and spirited, leaving behind traces of my process. The works create a balance between elements, rain and sea, clouds and wind, often with one reflecting the movement of the other.

I used Akua inks, which have a tendency towards a more milky appearance, to further point to the haziness of the vistas. While in residency at Bolus Head I created bio colour inks from materials I gathered on site. Charred Oak (from the stove in my old stone cottage, and my main source of heat) has been mixed with the Akua Ink and applied to the second plate of the monoprints. The contrast of the charcoal adds to the sense of chaos in the skies.

The titles are inspired by “Ten Poems about Clouds”, selected by Katharine Towers. A beautiful compilation of poems that could be described as a ‘cloud appreciation book’. It is available through candlestick press.co.uk and features the work of Liz Berry, Billy Collins, John Glenday, Paul Mehan, Fiona Sampson, Leslie Saunders, Katherine Towers, Sarah Westcott and Derek Walcott.

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