It’s been a long time since I posted a Studio Notes, there are lots of possible excuses that I could use such as ill health but the honest truth is that as well as not being well, that I felt I’d lost touch with my art practice, then the Covid lockdown started in March 2020, which I found quite hard to cope with and we are still in a state of lockdown at the moment in the Uk.
However after doing a lot of thinking and journalling over the last few weeks, which I found incredibly useful, making new plans and intentions for this year, which hopefully will be so much better than 2020, I’m feeling refreshed and I feel that I have a new purpose and direction in my art.
I have still been creative over last year, a few new pieces made and a lot of sketchbooks filled (photos above), I do love working in journals and books and a recent concertina sketchbook course with Karen Stamper has really fired up my ideas and given me a new freedom in my work.
I’m still using my family textile ephemera as my inspiration but I’m now developing a process involving collage, mixed media and paint to convey my emotional response to the items, making the art about me, rather than my previous semi-abstract approach. This realisation is what has reconnected me with my art, through sketchbook play and sampling and I’m looking forward to developing this further over this year, as we hopefully emerge from our enforced hibernation.
This is part of a new series that I’ve started, which I’m really happy with, I’m loving my new process of working with collage and paint over several layers, then sanding back through these, before working with the finer details, to bring the composition together.
I’m looking forward to sharing my progress over the next few months and if you’d like to follow my progress, please sign up to my Studio notes or follow me on Facebook or Instagram under @annearmesart
Anne Armes Art 