Dartmoor
Project
A project
coming from immersing myself in a particular
landscape and allowing sculpture, installation work and
paintings to arise from the experience.
I have known
the landscape of southern and western Dartmoor for a long
time, but not the moorland near Okehampton in the north. For
the summer of 2004 I wanted to work there before an exhibition
at the Monks Withecombe
Gallery near Chagford in September 2004.
The high moor
is a place of raw presence and contrast, an ancient land with
memories deep within the granite. The changes to the surface
of the landscape from hour to hour and season to season
express a raw power which is both challenging and reassuring.
In times of global human dilemma and confusion the profound
honesty of nature is a magnificent spiritual solace to be
found in such places of wilderness. Moods of gentleness and
timelessness contrast with violent storms and heavy fog, and
yet within each experience is the possibility of magical and
transforming experience.
The paintings
produced are in two groups. The point of departure came in a series
of large square mixed media works. Square paper eliminates
preconceived guidelines of portrait or landscape orientation
and naturally draws attention to the surface and a direct
experience. These
are the first group.
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