ARTIST'S STATEMENT

These recent desert works focus on relationships observed in the outback environment - specifically Central Australia and the Simpson Desert . The brave hardy vegetation of this harsh world is captivating. Earlier paintings explored the broad sense of vista within remote and unpeopled landscapes. My approach to the landscape is thematic, which means the work explores in depth a specific site - an analysis that can take many years of investigation and development, using a wide range of traditional media, as well as digital technology. Imagery is often layered to create richly textured and patterned surfaces which work in juxtaposition.

Early involvement in printmaking has proved a major influence in the way I now paint. My painting tools include templates and rollers which I make up to give a mark or pattern which can be repeated and varied, often in combination with other handmade or automatic marks. Works combine both gestural and automatic marks to evoke harmonies using strong tonal and colour differences. The paintings employ a variety of scale from large structured pieces to more intimate works exploring selected details of form and surface.

Liz Cuming