When I’m out in nature, I feel good. It could be the fresh air or the beauty of the scenery. The two places I love most are coastlines and the wild and open spaces of the Scottish Highlands. Much of my artwork reflects the magnificence of things I find in the landscape. I like to look at the detail of what I find there.
Over the last few years, I have reflected on how nature responds to the effects of the environment. I have gained some great ideas by looking at the border between the coast and the land. The diversity and complexity of life in wild places, is amazing. Trees are a source of inspiration for my drawing, painting and printmaking. On the coastline, they respond to the climate by growing into sculptural forms. Trees provide eco-systems for other living things. A good example are the dense and complex designs of lichen and mosses that live there. They also produce tree hollows with wonderful organic designs.
This year I have used rubbing with pigment on paper and canvas, to record natural patterns of trees and rock surfaces. The lines found on rocks record their history since geological Deep Time. I am interested in the way human activity is becoming part of the geology of the planet. Rubbings are a way of producing indexical images that make a connection between the patterns of nature and the patterns introduced by humankind’s industrial legacy.
To see my work try:
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/rayharriseca