Taking on a new technique can be good move for exploration, experimentation and rejuvenating creative energy! I really did need a change at the end of 2019 as I had ground to pretty much a halt. Collagraph printmaking is a completely different approach to painting and so now I have two very distinctive styles; painting up until 2019 and printmaking for 2020 and ongoing. Today my work is more textural, incorporating different techniques including monoprinting using dried leaves with nature continuing to be my inspiration.
The Kite below was printed using a mountboard collagraph plate, the leaves are monoprints added after the paper has dried and the bird has a little burnt sienna and yellow watercolour also reflected in small detail on the leaves.
Why do you put pictures on your walls, if you do? What might strike you as important in a picture? The obvious reason would be subject matter, maybe size for the space, the colours depicted, the colours of your room, what the image makes you feel, and other things that we cannot really put into words. You can justknow if a picture is right for you. They can just speakto you, if you know what I mean.
So why paint a scene like this?
At the time I was painting images of animals in mythology. My research led me to Korean Shaman imagery; I finally decided on the challenge of composing my own version of this traditional image from Korean culture.
The tiger’s size is exaggerated to convey it’s power and strength, the Shaman’s eyes are closed to display his trust in the tiger and how he feels at one with the world. You can almost feel the tigers warm breath on the Shaman’s toes! A trusting peaceful relationship with nature. Crane’s are often depicted in Asian art as they represent longevity, purity and peace. The mountain is of significance as a holy place. The Shaman shown in traditional images vary and are in fact a multicultural icon.
“Koreans still very strongly maintain traditions as old as their culture itself, that mountains are especially holy places of communication of energies between heaven and earth. The sacred aspects of these mountains and their relationships with the human communities around them are embodied in the ideas and icons of Sanshin [Mountain-spirit].”
From 2013 for a year or so I painted many ACEO’s. These are small pieces of artwork traded on Ebay to collectors around the world. Harvey the Aardvark was featured on the majority of them and looking in my PC files I produced (and sold!) over 160 of these tiny pieces of art measuring only 3.5 x 2″ (or 9 x 6 cm).
I had some of them printed up to a larger size; and have now put the remaining of them in my online shop. This is one of my early designs and one of my favourites, the original art being sold to a collector in the USA.
“It wasn’t Me” – with Harvey The Aardvark and Digger the Dog – print available to buy £10 Free P&P here.
Diane Young Artist 