Gillian Wilde
Tell us about your practice and the works in the exhibition
My art practice has evolved over the recent decade from a focus on water-colour technique with some collage elements, to using a wide range of collage materials with details added in water-colour.
I create my own collage papers using inks and water-colour to dye them. I spend time trying to create natural patterns of colour on the papers, that I then iron before choosing, cutting and shaping the papers to glue onto the work.
Being a collage artist means I turn into a bowerbird collecting a range of interesting papers that I can add to artworks.
What have been the main influences on and inspiration for your art making?
My passion and interest in birds, especially local ones, have been the underlying inspiration. More recently I have been playing with developing similar collage techniques with flowers and landscapes.
One of my main artistic influences has been the Turkish print maker, Faith Mika. His spare graphic images that play with the negative spaces have influenced the way I place my images on the paper.
Other influences include several textile artists such as Wen Redmond.
What effects have these had on your work, both practically and conceptually?
I like to think I am as much a graphic artist as a water-colour painter or collage maker. I like the space on the paper so that is the focus is clearly placed on the images. Bright bold colours help to intensify the focus. Collage with its depth of tactile effects and variations of tone add to this.
Conceptually it helps to crystallise attention on the birds, aiding awareness of their beauty, their personalities, and the threats they are under due to fires and climate change.