The way
images are created using analogue film and photography is a source of
inspiration for my work. The images I make loom from the background like a
photo as it is being developed in the dark room or like in a darkened cinema
where the form of the subject springs from the silver screen. The filmic
character of my work is also accentuated by its scale and the way light is
depicted.
I scratch out the image with drawing tools I
have fashioned from bits of steel wool. This provides a very effective means of
achieving the desired gradations of shading. It creates minuscule lines in the
charcoal, which can create a soft and muted effect but which can also provide a
great deal of light. The underlying grid pattern – consisting of minuscule,
notched lines – interacts with the parts scratched away by the steel wool. A
sense of friction arises from this interplay, which is emphasised by the layer
of pigment in between the layers. This foundation layer also gives the drawing
texture, making it reminiscent of a painting on canvas.