tess recordon

My practice explores the space between landscape and abstraction using the theme of travel and memory. These are not traditional landscapes showing a particular view or scene - but aim instead to capture the atmosphere, smell and essence of a place experienced over time. The landscape - rural or urban - a living, changing environment.

I leave my home environment to experience different perceptions of the world. New places - unusual sights, smells, sounds and tastes heighten the senses and focus the mind. Seemingly small or insignificant moments remain clear months on. Travel forms some of my most vivid memories and my work is an exploration of the recollections from these journeys.

Oil paint is the most wonderfully versatile medium. I Work freely and experiment with the paint not limiting the creative process by constraints of style. Each painting its own place.

Starting with multiple thin layers I move onto thicker layers. Pigments in their raw form are worked into the wet paint to add texture, depth and colour intensity. Whether the paint is poured, pigment added, sanded off or re-applied, the artistic process is not hidden from the viewer and can be seen under the final surface. These are physical, intuitive paintings full of drama, nature and event.