Hello welcome - latest posting...
Whilst working along side 'The World Land Trust' as part of my fine art degree course in 2013, I was challenged by the ethos of TWLT, their positive commitment to buy forests in order to reduce the impact created by deforestation within the Amazon.Seeing the effects of deforestation upon the rainforests inhabitants, is enabling me to develop an ongoing deeper understanding of the issues the rainforest faces.
This set in motion a path for an on going project which focuses on depicting the natural beauty and diversity within rainforest and of it's inhabitants, whilst engaging the viewer with the starker contrasts of deforestation.
I create work as a multidisciplinary artist, responding to the subject matter through print, paint, sculpture and charcoal, seeing the medium as a way of expressing an idea in order to connect with a situation - for example the use of charcoal - the charred remains of wood - relating to the effects of fire, and the aftermath the destructive elements of fire deforestation.
Initially the idea to create Rainforest images using watercolour as a medium came about through seeing vibrant images of forests, I was particularly struck by Henri Rousseau,s colourful 'Jungle' images (all beit oil) paintings of the 1800's. Along with a visit to the Eden Project Rainforest Biome in 2015, where I was able to document by photographing rainforest plants and flowers; focusing on close up detail of colours, patterns and textures all eventually informing the works.
It occurred that by implementing the characteristic qualities of watercolour as a medium, could also partly be instrumental in transferring added meaning to the works, as it carries certain associations to that of the elements of water- water a most essential ingredient for the creating of life, the survival of life and the vibrant colours born out of the abundance of life particularly found in the midst of the Rainforests terrain - enabling it existence to flourish.
Due to the above exhibition a future opportunity to exhibit this body of work in October 2016 has now arisen at a rally, combining and connecting with climate change issues .
Last year at the Eden Project artist in residence John Dyer worked with artist Nixiwaka Yawanawá
his succinct words resonate concerning issues of deforestation and the effects upon the rainforest....
"The destruction of our rainforest land is terrible, because the forest is alive. It is our life, and the animals’ life. We don’t separate our existence from it, we are all one body and one being: the plants, water, trees and Yawanawá. When we see harm come to the rainforest, it is as if a part of our own body has been hurt. It feels like an illness that rises up in us and needs to be cured." Nixiwaka Yawanawá
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