An ode to the cycles of life. This work is inspired by an abundance of beautiful small things found in nature. Our relationship to life can be challenging but there is always a gentle joy to be found in a garden or wild nature place. I try to capture that feeling, that sense of belonging to the calm of a spring day when the birds and butterflies are safe and happy.
Dip-pen drawing in oak-gall botanical ink, ancient recipe
Hand-made watercolours and gouache, traditional recipes and techniques using historically accurate methods with hand-applied Dutch gold &/or copper leaf.
Features rare ochre pigments sourced from unique places around the world.
Fabriano, eco-certified, archival, artist quality, animal free paper 640gsm
 
The bespoke paint is a special blend of natural earth pigments and acacia tree gum. These are the same coloured pigments once used before industrial 'copies' were invented, going back to a time when small amounts of hand-sourced colours were cherished and precious. This art is made in celebration of nature and as such only uses carefully selected historically accurate, natural ingredients to be extra kind to the planet.
 
Ochre is a coloured rock, a pigment used by painter throughout human art history from pre-antiquity to now. Thousands of years old, ochre comes from deep in the earth and is different in character depending on the place of origin. In this work, I have used genuine natural tree gum from African acacia trees, known as gum arabica which has been used for centuries as a binding medium for traditional watercolours and gouache. My research continues to find an Australian alternative that is equally clear and strong. The paint is naturally optimised to showcase the nuances in the pigments as it dries to a clear crystalline form and allows the colours to be vibrant and pure.
 
In the spirit of 'all is connected', these ochres are sourced from layers of earth below the surface of different landscapes, the similarity and beauty of the materials is a connection, a meeting point laid out in this artwork, symbolic of love, protection and our good fortune to live with such beauty in our flora and fauna.