CLAY DRAWINGS

INSTALLATIONS and SCULPTURE

IN NATURE

I am currently working with hand-collected clays from Santa Fe and the surrounding area. Processing the clay through different sieves requires a repetitive and rhythmic action. A “slurry” is applied to the paper using different parts of my body as I make a gesture through the clay. The clay dries and is washed with water to produce the drawing, which is later selectively oiled.

Growing up in the English countryside I played with the soil and plants in our garden – for me being connected to the Earth is vital. The crackled texture of dried clay has always captured my attention. In 2003 I visited Morocco, working on installations in the Sahara. I brought this experience into a gallery setting and the first clay installation evolved. I often compose prose for a specific work, which is imprinted into the moist clay.

On my hikes to connect with the land I discover and perceive natural materials in a new way. The challenge is to make ordinary things visible with minimal interference. These ephemeral installations will fold back into the earth with time - a rewarding way to practice non-attachment. Upon completion of the Walking Meditation in Morocco a strong wind completely erased the traces of my footprints.

LEAVES

NEWSPRINT SERIES

SUMI-SCAPES

These are intricate studies of plant matter directly using leaves or the mediums of graphite, Japanese kozo paper, and tissue on card. The pressed dried leaves are attached to a small card to preserve their fragility. The leaf square is placed under the paper and graphite is rubbed over the top. Each impression is created individually. Plant materials used include beech, maize, red oak, cabbage, and chestnut leaves.

These reliefs depict patterns of my breath as I manipulate layers of the British Financial Times newspaper into topographical landscapes. Stock market pages are torn into thin strips and the edges treated with ink. I pay attention to my breathing as I form the ridges, which are a measure of my finger width. Each raised element, or ridge, represents an inhalation or an exhalation.

Drawn with a fine-haired brush one line at a time using sumi ink or walnut ink on paper, these works are a record of my breathing and state of mind. Adjusting the pressure of the brush on the paper I create a thin light line during an inhalation and a thicker, darker line during an exhalation. The resulting patterns and rhythms are self-generating.