Mountains

These paintings are inspired by the vast rolling mountain pastures of the Dolomites, South Tyrol, where light and shadow change constantly. As clouds drift above and below, landscape features and vertiginous drops are obscured and revealed. The history of these mountains is enchanting; legend has it that in medieval times, Schlern mountain - the subject of the painting ‘Moments of Clarity’ - was a meeting place where the Schlern witches would convene to commune with the devil and perform black magic. I used thin layers of acrylic ink and translucent paint in an indigo-purple palette, which seemed appropriate to me, the colour alluding to witchcraft and satanic practices.

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Deserts

The landscape of Deadvlei, Namibia - harsh, raw and beautiful. I was fortunate to arrange an early visit before dawn and before any other visitors turned up. As the sun came up, light and shadow on the dunes emerged in sharp relief. Researching the area of the Namib Desert, I came across the evocative poem ‘Dead Vlei’ by American poet Sandra Meek*. With her permission, I have used words from the poem as titles for my paintings. The paintings in acrylics and earth pigments reflect the space and colour of a preternatural landscape.

*Meek, Sandra (2013) "Dead Vlei," Birmingham Poetry Review: Vol. 40, Article 73.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/bpr/vol40/iss2013/73

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Deadvlei sketchbook studies - acrylic, collage & felt pen

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Woodlands 2023 - 2024

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Painted Space Project 2022