Artist Interview: Sherrie-Leigh Jones

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Sherrie-Leigh Jones.

Falls at Dusk, 38.5cm x 28.5cm, hand finished screenprint with graphite powder and ink

Sherrie-Leigh, your landscape, travel and nature inspired prints are enchanting. I’m curious to know how you came to print making as your primary method of art making? 

When I left art college, I actually started a degree in illustration but didn’t stay on the course that long as it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and I felt a bit pigeon holed working to briefs. A while after, I moved to Brighton to start a foundation degree in fine art where I experimented with different ways of working and printmaking again, particularly screenprinting as I really enjoyed the process - that’s when I really got into printmaking more and it became my chosen method of creating.

What is your favourite print making method?
Through experimenting, I naturally became drawn to screenprinting for the way in which I create my work. 

Moon Over The Plain, 38cm x 28.5cm, screenprint with graphite powder and ink

Midsummer Moon, 38cm x 28.5cm, screenprint with graphite powder and ink

I particularly love your Chinese and Japanese inspired work, what first prompted you to create a series inspired by Chinese and Japanese art forms?

You can easily get lost looking at all the different elements and tiny details in the landscapes, the different qualities of techniques with painting and printmaking from the softness of the brush strokes bringing a calmness. I think for me, they create that sense of escapism that I hope my work brings to people.

Are there other print techniques, materials or ways of working that you’d like to try? 

I’ve experimented with photo etching, mono printing, cyanotypes and other print techniques but always end up coming back to screenprint. Last year I played around more with the idea of chine collé, which I think I’ll come back to at some point and I’d also like to try risograph printing, as well as printing on wood again and perhaps also bringing an element of embossing back to some prints - I just never seem to have enough time for all my ideas!

Calm White River, 102cm x 68cm, cellulose transfer print on Japanese paper

You studied BA (Hons) Fine Art Printmaking at University of Brighton, what drew you to study at Brighton and how did the course affect your practice? 

The foundation degree was for two years, after which you could transfer to a BA to top it up. There aren’t that many specialist printmaking degrees in the UK and Brighton’s such a vibrant and diverse city by the sea, full of creativity that I loved, so I decided to stay as the University is one of the few that offers a printmaking course. As I’d already grown a love for screenprinting, I mainly stuck to that which I combined with digital print and collage. The course allowed me time to experiment even more with the possibilities of screenprint and the materials I could use. It’s also where I really developed the idea of creating imagined environments and landscapes. 

Take us through a ‘day in the life’ - what does a typical day involve? 

It depends what I have going on, no two days are generally the same, but I do try and have some sort of routine. Most days I’ll get up and workout, sort myself out and then head in the studio or to the print studio. Usually I’ll check emails first in the morning and reply to any that need a response sooner. I’ll then go to the post office or drop any prints off at the couriers. I try and do some collaging for a good few hours before I stop and do anymore admin late afternoon - emails, ordering materials and packaging, updating my website etc. and I try and remember to post on social media during the day as well. I’ll then pack any prints up before I finish for the day and try and go for a walk. If I’m at the print studio, I’ll be stripping, coating and exposing screens before sorting paper, mixing inks and printing my collages. Then I’ll come back later on and reply to emails, pack prints, arrange couriers etc. Some days and weeks are more creative than others, some just end up being more admin heavy.

Emerald Mount, 20.5cm x 25.5cm, cellulose print on Japanese paper

Emerald Mount (West), 20.5cm x 25.5cm, cellulose print on Japanese paper

What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

So many, but to name a few… Hasui Kawase and Koho Shoda, probably my favourite of the Shin-Hanga artists… Katie Paterson, James Turrell and Raqib Shaw. I also love romanticism, so people like Caspar David Friedrich and The Hudson River School artists.

Tell me about your studio or creative space.

I work between my home studio, which at the moment I share with my husband, and at North Star Printmaking studio in Brighton. l'm always gathering imagery and taking photographs on my travels, walks and when I'm just out and about if something catches my eye. I then use analogue and digital collage, which I work on in my home studio before taking them into the print studio to screenprint. It's nice to have a balance of working in my own space and then sometimes being around other printmakers in the print studio… and I also feel so lucky to have the sea on my doorstep if I get a bit of a block to go for a walk or just need a break from screens.

What aspirations do you have for your practice?

I hope to create some larger pieces again soon and I’d love to travel to do a residency at some point.

River by Dawn (after Koho Shoda), approx 34.5cm x 21.5cm, screenprint with graphite powder and ink on Japanese paper

River by Moonlight (after Koho Shoda), approx 34.5cm x 21.5cm, screenprint with graphite powder and ink on Japanese paper

I love learning random facts about people, tell me three things about yourself. 

• I love music, especially metal/hardcore but I don’t really share about it that much, as I don’t think it really goes with the calming sense of my work haha and I know it isn’t everyones cup of tea.

• I also love interior design and architecture - I have a real love for minimal, simple living and modern design..at one point I did consider doing interior design instead.

• I have a twin sister who’s also an artist as well as two other sisters.
  

Finally, where can people follow your work online?

My website www.sherrieleighjones.com where you can subscribe to my mailing list for a bit more insight to my practice, Instagram @sherrieleighjonesart and Twitter @SherrieLJones

Thank you so much to Sherrie-Leigh for giving us an insight into her wonderful printmaking processes. You can really feel Sherrie-Leigh’s passion for screen printing. Her work really speaks to me as a lover of landscape art in particular, I always feel transported back to places from my travels when I see her prints. They have an idealised and calming quality to them with a wonderfully reduced colour palette so you can focus on the details and the simple forms in nature. Sherrie-Leigh sells her prints on her website, her work has been exhibited extensively including at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2021.

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

Artist Interview: Kamaria Pryce

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Kamaria Pryce.

Peace V, approx 20cm x 15cm, gouache on paper

Kam, since first discovering your work I was enchanted by your landscape paintings which have a calming and peaceful quality to them. What is it about recording the natural landscape that appeals to you? 

One of the reasons I love being out in nature, is that it evokes a sense of calm and quiet emotionally, mentally, and for me, spiritually. I think because the surroundings are so much bigger than me, it brings peace and belonging. When I paint, I try to capture that experience for the viewer and potential customer.

When I think of your paintings I often think of swishy blades of grass which you capture so beautifully, are small details important in your work? 

It's funny because I'm not naturally a very patient person, I like seeing results in a fairly quick timescale! In nature, there are so many details that I think oftentimes our natural eyes miss. I find when I'm painting landscapes, it forces me to slow down, be patient and take in as many of the details as I can. 

Strength, approx 25cm x 20cm, gouache on paper

The Waiting, approx 25cm x 20cm, gouache on paper

You work with a variety of mediums; pencil, oil pastel and gouache. Do you have a favourite medium to work with and is experimentation important to you? 

I think it's always good and important as a creative to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone. Whether that's experimenting with different materials or creating different subject matters. It just helps you grow and not be stagnant in your gift. My favourite medium to use so far is gouache!

Are there other materials or ways of working that you’d like to try? 

I would absolutely love to try oil paints one day! 

Take us through a ‘day in the life’ - what does a typical day involve? 

At the moment I work 3 days a week when my youngest is at nursery and my eldest is at school. After I’ve done the school/nursery run I’ll get straight into painting either for a commission or a collection. I try to plan out what I’m going to paint beforehand so I can get the most out of the day! If I have admin to do, I’ll do that in the evenings after my girls have gone to bed. 

Peace IV, approx 25cm x 20cm, gouache on paper

Detail of Peace VII, approx 25cm x 20cm, gouache on paper

Did you study art or any creative subjects or are you completely self-taught? 

I haven’t had any formal art training, so I’ve been developing my skills through a lot of personal practice.

What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

I’ve discovered many artists on Instagram who inspire me for various reasons, some of them are: Claudia Lowry Art, Hannah Winters Art, Ronni Nicole and The Coastal Studio to name just a few!

The Lighthouse, approx 25cm x 20cm, gouache on paper

Tell me about your studio or creative space.

My creative space currently is my dining room table, so not at all fancy! One day of course, I would love to have my own studio space.

I love learning random facts about people, tell me three things about yourself. 

1.     I don’t like butter in my sandwiches, controversial I know! I would normally use a chutney instead.

2.     I’ve been to Beijing in China for a school art trip. It was an amazing opportunity, but I don’t think I would go back!

3.     I’ve just started a BSL (British Sign Language) course! It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, so I’m really happy that I’m going through it, albeit at quite a slow pace at the moment!

Finally, where can people follow your work online?

The best place to follow my art online is Instagram at: www.instgram.com/bloomhope_art or by joining my mailing list, which you can find on my website at: www.bloomhopeart.com.

Thank you so much to Kam for giving us an insight into her practice, I just love the way she captures nature in gouache, her recent sea landscapes are some of my favourites. To see more of her work please take a look at her Instagram page. Kam creates small collections of her works on paper and releases them for sale on her website, they sell out very quickly so I’d recommend joining her mailing list if you’re interested in adding one of her peaceful paintings to your art collection.

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

The Beginning Of A Sketchbook

Whilst perusing Instagram I saw that Shilpa Agashe, somebody who I have been following for quite some time was using a sketchbook, the way she was working in it really attracted my attention. There were painterly elements, text and collage. I really liked the aesthetics of it and it inspired me to have a go at using a sketchbook myself. I’ve never been much of a sketchbook user, I start them with good intentions but never seem to make it past the first few pages. I feel a bit like a bad artist for not using one, surely all good artists keep sketchbooks that could be works of art in themselves?! I only really kept them at university because they were a required element. I love seeing other peoples sketchbooks and find them to be a great insight into how an artist works. I tend to just draw on separate bits of paper, but I end up being very precious with it, hoping that whatever I make will be good enough to put in my shop and sell. There isn’t much room for experimentation with that kind of thinking.

So, with the U.K. in the middle of lockdown due to coronavirus I decided to start a sketchbook. I dug out an old book which I bought from L. Cornelissen & Son in London many years ago, I’d already ripped several of the first pages out so it was practically new. A fresh start. The only rule with my sketchbook was that there are no rules whatsoever. If I want to draw little landscapes, birds and flowers in my usual mediums then that’s fine, if I want to dip the whole thing in paint then that’s fine too. The point is to create, to gather ideas, to record what’s going on in my head and the outside world. To help inspire new work, to perfect techniques, to try something new, to work with colour and to continue with black and white. It’s all valid.

I’ve began making drawings in my sketchbook. A little pencil sketch from one of my last walks before lockdown, a sweet drawing of blossom made in fountain pen. A bright green tree with flecks of blue which I’m desperate to paste over with something else. Some birds chosen at random from my RSPB pocket guide, a detailed landscape of silhouetted trees in fine liner pen and a blousy daffodil with handmade paper collaged over the top. The sketchbook has already inspired ideas for future work, I’m excited to get stuck in to it when my son goes to sleep, it has ignited a need to draw again which I had been missing for a while.

Do you keep a sketchbook? If so then does it help you with your work?

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️