Process
Photography
Photography is integral to my work, every print begins as a photograph, and is digitally printed onto transparent silk. Each image was taken on a different beach on North Uist: Clachan Sands, Berneray, Malacleit, Kirkibost, Sollas, Vallay, Hosta and Traigh Iar, and selected for the rich colours and textures within the compositions, and the memories associated with each place.
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​The collection is comprised of a combination of my own imagery, and images taken by my father, whose extensive photography archive spans my childhood. Dad is never without his camera on Uist, and the photos I've selected represent key memories we share from the Islands.
Clachan Sands
Berneray
Hosta
Malacleit
Digital Print
Key photographs are translated into prints on translucent silks. I use chiffon, georgette, and habotai to allow the most light to pass through each piece, accentuating and contrasting the deep colours and complex textures in each photograph. Drapery, translucency, and print placement are key considerations throughout this process.
Screen Print
Complementary screen prints, inspired by patterns and ripples found in water and sand, support digitally printed pieces. Printed in textural devoré and flock finishes, and in calming white-on-white colourways, these pieces provide a sense of breathing space and encourage a deeper engagement with often overlooked elements of the natural world.
Beading
Beading is a crucial part of my process, used to enhance the colours in the print and influence the way the piece reflects light.
I begin by selecting a section of the print with the idea of a camera's view finder in mind, thinking about what areas have the most interesting colours, and what this will change about how the sample drapes and interacts with light. I work into each area to pull out these colour blends, mixing bead colours and finishes to accentuate textures and colours in the imagery.
The collection includes thousands of tiny beads and has taken approximately two hundred hours to painstakingly bead by hand. The way the beads catch the light has been central to my process; each sample reflects, refracts, and shimmers.
