Composition
in my own work has changed over the years to become less… static? I
don’t quite know what words to use here. My images have become a mix of
elements, some portraiture,
some narrative, some diagrammatic, with text thrown in for good
measure; all jumbled up then fitted together like a jigsaw. I suppose
I’ve always done this a bit but that way of working has gradually taken
over. It may be partly due to moving from card cuts,
where the image has to be complete before varnishing, to etching where
the image can evolve over time. Elements can be added or taken away and
this gives great flexibility to the creative process.
I
think it’s this that inspires me about Grayson Perry’s work. Rich,
dark, satirical; his images evolve as he works on his pots or
tapestries, almost like subconscious doodlings.
I love his style of drawing and the macabre humour he often displays.
His pots are always a surprise; beautiful in shape and colour schemes
which, on closer inspection, reveal worlds of the grotesque and wryly
comic. I guess I am also drawn to his pots for
the craft aspect - there’s a lot of process and technique required in
the same way that there is with etching. Steps, stages, states, layers.
And the guy is such a dude. What’s not to like.
