SINGING WOOD

This painting depicts a walk I took through the woodland at Tremenheere Sculpture Park near Penzance in Cornwall. It is a very ‘loose’ piece in which I wanted to capture the energy of this particular spot of woodland, I especially wanted to visually interpret the rich birdsong I heard. The freedom in the ink marks and the ease of the paint application are my response to the echoing bird calls, sharp and shrill, that bounced off the tree trunks.

Prior to adding any marks or paint I applied gesso and collaged on tape and paper to create texture. The fine liner marks were made on location, and on return to my studio I then added watercolour paint, mixing a variety of colours. I particularly like the way the watercolour reacts to the textured substrate. The whole process is very relaxed as the paint and ink is given its freedom, and the results can often surprise me.