Pauline Hughes
Formerly a sculptor in clay I have now fully embraced the printmaking process and made it the central means of expression in my work as an artist.
Formerly a sculptor in clay I have now fully embraced the printmaking process and made it the central means of expression in my work as an artist.
I find the speed at which I can now work hugely liberating and by using materials that are readily to hand, found the confidence and freedom to endlessly experiment. In addition to this the mutability of a print adds another exciting element to the working process with the ability to cut, rearrange, shift and add to the surface before the final image is decided on. This way of working is in complete contrast to the slower, more meditative process of hand building in clay that once completed is, so to speak set in stone.
There remains one vital connection between both practices and it is the exploration of the human form with a particular focus on the head. However, I have found that it is print more than any other process that allows the intense dialogue with the surface required to create pieces that have a strong, physical presence and emotional narratives.