The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
In 2018, I was delighted to have work selected for New Art West Midlands, an exhibition celebrating recent graduates from universities across the region. The exhibition was presented across three venues – the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry, AirSpace Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – bringing together painting, drawing, photography, digital media and mixed-media work from emerging contemporary artists.
Looking back, this exhibition marked an important stage in the development of my practice. Although my work has evolved significantly since then, many of the ideas that continue to inspire me today were already beginning to emerge: pattern, repetition, process and an interest in how small details can build into something much larger.
Reticulation
Reticulation explored the idea of repetition and replication through a process of consecutive drawing. Each drawing was created by responding to the one before it, forming a sequence that gradually evolved over time.
Although the intention was to create precise copies, subtle variations inevitably appeared. Small changes in line, accidental marks and moments of human error became an essential part of the work, revealing that no repetition is ever truly identical. Rather than correcting these imperfections, I embraced them, allowing them to become part of the artwork’s character.
Untitled (2017)
Untitled explored process as much as outcome. Created using carbon paper, the act of drawing also became an act of printing, with each mark carrying traces of previous drawings.
The repeated use of the carbon paper introduced unexpected variations and subtle imperfections that could never be completely controlled. This balance between intention and chance became central to the finished work and continues to influence the way I approach making today.
Compressed
Created in 2017, Compressed is built from repeated hand-drawn lines that gradually form a structured geometric composition.
While the work appears ordered and controlled from a distance, closer inspection reveals slight inconsistencies and imperfections created through the drawing process. I was interested in the tension between precision and the unavoidable presence of the hand, questioning ideas of perfection and highlighting the individuality that exists within repeated marks.
Looking Back
Although my practice has since moved towards painting, mixed media, botanical printing and the use of natural materials, this body of work remains an important part of my creative journey.
The questions I was exploring then, about repetition, pattern, process and the beauty found in subtle variation, still underpin my work today. They have simply found new expression through the landscapes, textures and natural forms that continue to inspire my practice.
I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of New Art West Midlands, and this exhibition remains a milestone in my development as an artist.