Amidst Exhibition - Manchester

Leading up to the exhibition I did a number of drawings from the photographs I had taken over the summer and on my last visit to Malta. Not all of these went according to plan as I sprayed one drawing with fixative too heavily to transport it. I then found I was unable to work back into this composition satisfactorily. I ended up abandoning this one and starting on a new one. In the end I was glad I had done this. I had learned to be careful with fixative and that over use dulls the pastel and prevents over drawn pastels from clinging to the surface as it becomes too shiny.

I mounted my drawings onto board very simply using masking tape with double sided tape on top of this so that the tape could be removed without damaging the picture or mount.

In line with the ethos of the AMIDST Exhibition, I displayed four pieces of work in various stages of completeness, to demonstrate my working practice.

My artist statement was as follows…. Physical and habitual traits can identify a race, culture or nation. The North South East West brief given to my fellow students and me this year, has allowed me to indulge my fascination with the Maltese Islands and people. For the last few years I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time in Malta; a place I absolutely love. I have developed many strong bonds and have been privileged to witness the commonplace traditions that make Malta a unique and charming country. My series of observational pastel drawings, aims to capture the sprit and sociability of Maltese alfresco life, which has evolved due to the intense heat throughout the summer months.