It has been a cold and snowy week here in the Uk, which is not something we get very often, so when it does happen, we have to make the most of it, so I’ve had lots of stunning walks with my labrador Tilly, just enjoying the sheer beauty of the transformation of my world by the snow. I love how the world seems quieter and the light feels purer and brighter, all my senses seem to be heightened by by the magical glistening snow.
I think this has also influenced my art this week too, I’ve been re-evaluating some of my sketchbook pages by changing them to black and white, which I find very useful when considering compositions. With the elimination of the distraction of colour, the next steps become far more obvious to me, showing which ones are nearly finished and which need editing to give them more impact to the viewer.
My next step is to do lots of mini compositions, using collage and paints etc in my sketchbooks and taking these further into small mixed media pieces on boards, ultimately these may become larger pieces or possibly textile pieces, or even a mixture of both. I’ll post my explorations in next weeks Studio Notes, by stating this here and committing to posting them, it will keep me accountable.
I will then be able to see the development from sketchbook to collage ideas and into finished work, this process is very important to me, I need not just to see an abstract piece of work but also know where it is derived from, as this makes it feel so more authentic and gives each piece a history of its own.
I’ve also had the honour of recording a video showing my studio, sketchbooks and process for Louise Fletcher’s “Your Art Tribe” group during the last couple of weeks, so if you are a member, I hope that you enjoyed it. I found it quite nerve wracking at first but by the end I really enjoyed it, especially after the careful editing by Louises husband Phil.
Anne Armes Art 