People often ask me about the process of my work so I thought it would be a good idea to write my first blog about that - here goes!
When I ‘m experimenting with ideas for a new image I often don’t have an endpoint in mind, just a vague idea of what I want to do. For inspiration I’ll look through source material I’ve gathered (I’ve got loads of vintage images, my photographs, scanned objects etc,) to choose a starting image that resonates with me. Led by that I start playing around, adding images that associate, scanning things in, trying things out.
At some point n things start to look and feel right to me, the piece starts going in a direction I like and from then on I’ll spend days and weeks , sometimes months refining it. I usually have two or three pieces on the go at the same time and move from one to another.
I combine images, mix things up, retouch, blend, add elements, experiment. I get completely involved in this, I love working away on a new piece, it’s exciting and I’m in the flow, happy. I stay open to accidental discoveries too, I’ll be messing about and a ‘mistake’ can turn into the very thing I need.
Sometimes it can be frustrating because I know an image is almost there but not quite how I want it, I’ll leave it for a day or so and work on another piece. I come back to it with a refreshed eye, usually I see right away what I need to do to move it forward.
Some things just don’t work out at all and I’ve got loads of unfinished pieces that I’ve laboured over but I can’t get to that ‘aha’ moment where I feel a sense of satisfaction that I’m on the right track.
While I work I like to listen to the calming sounds of mantras, I love Deva Premal, or Tibetan singing bowls, Bo Bo and Mose the lurchers are always dozing nearby. Note to self:- Remember to get up now and then and move about – sitting for ages lost in your work isn’t always good for your health (!).
My images are made digitally and my work is printed from a PSD file, my artwork is stored away in my computer, existing in another reality.