GALLERY 2. Abstraction forms a major thread in Mary’s work
Spontaneous working means that every piece is a surprise, as the pencil is allowed to take the lead, in making the lines which combine to make the form.
More than 50 years of drawing, especially from life, develops lines which may have become autonomous.
That does not mean automatic, as there is intention from the instrument but, most often, not from the hand.
Somewhere there is ‘imagery’ stored, whether a sound, a smell, a touch - who knows what experiences we store in the deep caverns of our minds’ ? Mary says “Thus I feel that the images which emerge are FROM me but not necessarily BY me”
Originating, then, from within, without a specific narrative, the title remains an integral part of each piece. Words crop up while working on the piece. They may be clues as to where the image originated, or may be not. But often they add to its form or give the image an identity. So, in that respect, they are significant.
Images below
From charcoal to pencil, and from acrylics to watercolours, Mary’s work has developed along these lines dictated by a desire to work sustainably. There is also a desire to connect more intimately with the materials, so she abandoned collaging old drawings and packaging at this point , possibly to return to the latter at some point when she can find a strong natural glue.
Larger pieces On board 1m x 1m All acrylic with collaged old paper
