All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U W Y

Artists Statement

Based in Bethesda, North Wales, Deanne has been a professional artist for over 15 years. Known best for her tonalist landscape paintings in oil, her work is held in private collections across the UK and abroad and she exhibits throughout Wales.

Deanne had an exhibition at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw from January to May 2023, entitled:

Five miles from home…

This body of work is part of her ongoing personal research, exploring ways of making art using environmentally sustainable materials and practices. The works centre around the figure and landscape, with the aim of creating a space for conversation about hope, our shared connection with the natural world, and the environmental footprint we leave for future generations.

The paintings in this exhibition focus on natural pigments lovingly created from soil, rocks, rust and plants; all painstakingly gathered by the artist over time from within walking distance of her home.

Working this way requires time outside in nature, working with the seasons and slowing down to notice the natural colours and textures present in the landscape. It has now become an integral part of Deanne’s practice and the materials add to the narrative of her work. Each pigment takes time to gather and form into a workable paint, through the meditative process of grinding, washing, levigating and finally mulling into watercolour. Because of the natural variation of the pigments, each batch is different in colour making every painting unique.

Presented alongside these paintings are the first in a new series of sculptures which mark the next stage of her exploration made using natural and reclaimed materials found locally.

Deanne says ‘Living in North Wales, raw wool is an abundant but sadly undervalued resource. Not only is wool abundant, renewable and natural but requires minimal processing to make a versatile sculptural medium to work with.

For me, the act of felting wool is reminiscent of the bonds we form in communities and through friendship. The closer we become, the stronger we are as a whole. Single strands of wool are soft and shapeless but knit them together and incredible things can form.

I love that when the time comes for them to return to the earth, all the works in this exhibition can be safely recycled or composted without harm to the environment.’

Images of the work to below

Works on Sale

Click to view full size

Five Miles from Home

Five Miles from Home

£ NFS

80x100cm - Handmade ink and watercolour on raw linen; Oak galls, rust, soil, reclaimed brick, slate, chalk and shell

Across the Void

Across the Void

£ NFS

100x80cm - Handmade ink and watercolour on raw linen; Oak galls, rust, soil, reclaimed brick, found charcoal, slate, chalk and shell

Beneath Us

Beneath Us

£ NFS

100x80cm - Handmade ink and watercolour on raw linen; Oak galls, rust, soil, slate, found charcoal, chalk, shell and limestone

Faith

Faith

£ NFS

100x100cm - Handmade ink and watercolour on raw linen; Oak galls, rust, reclaimed brick, found charcoal, slate, chalk, shell and limestone

Earth Colour Figure I

Earth Colour Figure I

£ NFS

30x40cm - Handmade oil paint on raw canvas; Slate, soil, and reclaimed brick

Earth Colour Figure II

Earth Colour Figure II

£ NFS

50x50cm - Handmade watercolour on raw canvas; Slate, reclaimed brick, soil and shell

Earth Colour Figure III

Earth Colour Figure III

£ NFS

100x80cm - Handmade watercolour on raw canvas; Slate, soil, reclaimed brick, shell and limestone

Earth Colour Figure IV

Earth Colour Figure IV

£ NFS

70x90cm - Handmade watercolour on raw canvas; Slate, reclaimed brick, soil and shell

Paint Swatches - Natural Colours of the Dyffryn Ogwen area

Paint Swatches - Natural Colours of the Dyffryn Ogwen area

£ NFS

Handmade oil paints & watercolour - Experiments;

Handmade oil paints & watercolour - Experiments;

£ NFS

Natural Binders; Rabbit skin glue; gum Arabic; Cherry sap

Touch...

Touch...

£ NFS

9x21x6cm - Raw wool hollow felted form

Skull

Skull

£ NFS

8x10x13cm - Raw wool solid felted form

Head I

Head I

£ NFS

16x19x21cm - Raw wool hollow felted form

Head II

Head II

£ NFS

33x14x20cm - Raw wool hollow felted form