Sheenagh Davis
The Journey - what defines an artist?
I have never put myself in the category of being an artist because I ‘can’t draw or paint’! To overcome this self-defining criticism, when offered a place in an art class, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and embark on a journey into the unknown. Just before the first class I very nearly cancelled as I felt so nervous, however over the weeks and months I have been attending I realise there is no definition of 'an artist’. Everyone is working in so many different and unique ways, I have managed to stop comparing myself to others and started to develop my own way of working.
I love to work with the materials and see what evolves, the serendipity, the‘happy accident’.
I think that’s why I love eco-printing and working with nature because it is always spontaneous and every piece is unique. So with this in mind, and having 2½ hours to just ‘play’ I began by exploring eco-inks - what the actual inks could do. I love the earthy colours of nature. I wasn’t working towards any kind of outcome and with this freedom it allowed me to make those glorious ‘mistakes’ to become fully involved and go with the flow. This current work is inspired by the title from the Chapel Gallery’s latest exhibition ‘The ripple of land’. I have used my experimental landscapes and combined them with painted organza. This softens the outlines and gives the landscapes an ethereal feel.
