2019-04-01_Artists___Illustrators

IN THE STUDIO

Annabel

Gault

The landscape artist embarks on a new series

in her Suffolk workspace. Words and photos:

ANNE-KATRIN PURKISS

You are known as a landscape
painter. Do you spend much time
in your studio?
Yes. During the past three years,
I have spent most of the time here.
Normally, I work outdoors as much
as I can and use the studio only in
the winter months and as a ‘base
camp’. But with my recent work, that
has changed. It’s a new experience.

Can you tell us about the new work?
The pictures are pressings or
rubbings from my plasters, it is a
process that is closely related to
printmaking.

What prompted you to break from
painting and try a new technique?
I love images in black and white

• for instance, charcoal drawings
  have always been a separate thread
  for me that is not really connected
  to painting. About four years ago,
  a sculptor friend invited me to her
  studio. We experimented there,

and from her I learned how to make

plasters. The result is a mixture

of both of our practices.

Can you explain the process you

are using now?

I start with rolling clay out in large

plates, that part is incredibly

physical. Then I make drawings on

these clay plates, and I take plasters

from the clay. The pressings are

done from these plasters, using

normal printing ink.

Where do you find inspiration?

In the landscape that surrounds me,

here or in other places that I visit.

It changes constantly: the light, the

weather, and the seasons are never

the same. It is important to be open

to ideas and to follow them.

When you work outdoors, do you

use sketchbooks?

I just paint. I have got sketchbooks,

but when I go out to paint, that’s

what I do. I absolutely love painting

outside. I like the immediacy of

working outdoors.

How do you know when one of your

works is finished?

The thing about working outside

is that you are very much in the

moment – you’re not really aware of

time, which I really like. You are not

thinking in terms of ‘finishing’ a

painting, you just arrive at a point.

I never touch up things back in the

studio. Once it’s finished, that’s it.

Do you ever return to earlier work?

There will always be a connection

between what you are doing now

and things that you have done in the

ON A ROLL

Annabel uses

gesso-primed

paper for her

oil paintings

THINK INK

The latest

work involves

pressings

made in ink