Gill Drew

My work draws inspiration from corners of wild spaces close to my home in a city and also from sketches and drawings of the beautifully rugged Dorset coast path. I am drawn by the dynamic presence of the landscape and the feeling of being in the vast sweep of it. The horizontal expanse of water catching the sunlight with the vertical lines of the cliffs place me with the viewer in the scene. As I paint, I am searching for ways to express the other senses that are engaged as we mindfully pause in the landscape. As I build marks and layers of acrylic paint, I am excited to discover ways to show the weathering and movement, warmth and loveliness, observing the colour and visual surface textures. I pay attention to the playfulness or control in my brushstrokes and the looseness and fluidity of the paint.

Using cradled wood panels and canvases, I love to build up layers of colour and mark-making in acrylic and create depth to the surface and a vitality to the textural marks by sanding and glazing. This process allows spontaneity and control as the composition develops and reveals up-close treats and surprises.