Tell us a little about what you make
I'm a Painter and Printmaker. I studied Fine Art (BA) at Cardiff Met. and I graduated in 2012. I specialised in printmaking, etching and Collagraph. Today I am still fascinated by Collagraph printing and I paint mostly in Acrylics though I am very drawn to experimenting with collage, and contemporary printing techniques.
What inspires you and where do you find that inspiration?
I have a fascination with Welsh history, and traditions, a lot of my work has been inspired by Welsh legends. And of course, nature, a bit of a cliché I know but moving to the country less than a decade ago has taught me so much about the natural world
Tell us about your favourite medium.
My favourite medium changes constantly, but If I had to pin it down I’d have to say both acrylic painting and Collagraph printing.
What are your favourite and least favourite parts of being an artist or maker?
Favourite. For the first time in my life I have a job I love, having the opportunity to be creative every day. Least favourite. Admin!, bookwork, spreadsheets and keeping a record of stocks and sales….followed closely by framing!….though it’s still the best job in the world!!
What does being a member of the Ceredigion Art and Craft Trail mean to you?
When moving to Ceredigion I didn’t realise I was going to be a part of such a wonderful Artist community, CACT brings us all together and puts us in the public eye.
How do you manage a work-life balance as an artist/maker?
It's not easy, if I could I’d spend 7 days a week in my Studio, I do have a very supportive partner who loves to cook so I consider myself spoilt!
What are you working on at the moment?
I love doing courses. I am a life-long learner. I’m Currently on a screen-printing refresher course with Waldens in Cardigan whilst doing an online monotype/gel plate course with the artist Sally Hirst. I consider the first few months of the year my time to experiment and learn something new.
How do you know when your work is finished?
It’s probably what everyone says but ‘I just know’, having said that I do believe intuition has to be learnt. Like any skill you have to put in the hours, I’ve studied the principals of composition, tone and colour theory etc.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist/maker?
I tell people I’ve never earned so little but I’ve never been so happy. Its not so much of a challenge as something I’ve accepted. Money doesn’t guarantee happiness but in my case Art does!
What advice would you give to new artists or makers at the start of their creative journey?
You’ve already said it!…it’s a ‘journey’, not a race, so enjoy every moment.
