SARAH SHEPHERD - FINE ARTIST
"This exhibition provides a public showcase for graduating students at the beginning of their careers and presents the diverse and varied nature of Fine Art at De Montfort University. The work reflects the aim of the course to develop individual creativity in contemporary approaches to fine art."
- Fine Art Catalogue, De Montfort University, 2012
*Artist Statement at the bottom of the page*
The work explores the concept of light in the work and the medium itself. It has the ability to cause and change the way in which we view it. Work is created that has the 3D effect of delicate composition and colour distortions, caused by the natural and man-made light sources that surround it, as well as the viewer looking at the work from different angles. As the light differs, the work changes subtly due to the characteristics of the Organza fabric that is used. Organza is a delicate material with slight shades of colour, it can be layered to create a variety of colours, tones, textural and reflective qualities due to its sheen finish.
There is an influence from the artist Claude Monet who uses thin yet noticeable brush strokes and a delicate use of colour to emphasise light and the qualities it has on the landscape. The work of Lara Favaretto inspires the work; close-ups of her work appear to be a board wrapped in coloured wool, yet from afar the shadow of an image becomes more focused underneath. Similarly to my own work, it relies on lighting and the angle/distance in which the viewer looks at the work to become successful.
Tracey Emin, previously a painter like myself, describes textiles as similar to painting, "you sew it all down and then pick them all off and put them back on again; its really like doing a painting."
This is how I produce my work. I consider the texture, the colours, the shape, the size, the composition and the response from the viewer and myself. If a mistake is made in the work, it can be reworked.
