Selecting work for the degree show is a difficult decision process, particularly as I have quite a choice right now and the work I’ve done is quite varied. My work has developed now from my closely observed objects and I’ve now concentrated on looking into the rockpools, investigating the colours, shapes, light and marks of the pebbles and water. I’ve titled this triptych ‘The Trail of the Hermit Crab’ since I made photographs and preparatory drawings; the marks left by the crabs make lines throughout the rocks. An interesting pattern, they reflect on the theme of walking, which is the concept behind these works.

I was asked why I divided the panoramic rockpool into a triptych. My thinking is that the rock pools are so busy, so active and varied, that our eyes do not see the whole view at once. Memories, thoughts, interests build up the image. Our brains are not photographic. So here the image is revealed through pieces, some of the rocks are out of focus and loosely described, and as I complete this work (it is still requiring some finishing) I am directing the viewer’s eye to particular details and interactions between shapes and colours.

Here I have two other works of my ‘fragments’ next to the triptych. I am still considering exhibiting them, so I now work with all my pieces together, so that the colours and shapes relate. The challenge of an exhibition is about compositionally leading the viewer’s eye to sustain interest. I admire the two paintings of collections, because they are warmer in colour in comparison to the tryptic, making a nice balance. It also considers the way I retrieve and arrange the objects out of their natural surroundings.

Next week the School of Art is being prepared for exhibiting, which involves painting the walls, arranging the layout of the exhibition and hanging work. The opening will be on the 14th May, 3pm, if you are interested in visiting Aberystwyth’s degree show full details can be found here https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/art/ and on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AberystwythSchoolofArt/?fref=ts

We warmly welcome all visitors to see all the hard work and diversity of our busy School of Art!

My degree work so far has allowed me to explore all kinds of subject matter, techniques, mediums and inspiration. Now I am at the end of three years of work, preparing for the degree show is challenging me to hone my skills and artistic voice.

My project has developed from looking at collected objects from walks over the last year, they visualise various environments I encounter, remind me of the places I walk and document the interests I had from the season, weather and my own mood. I began arranging the objects together into compositions, as if to piece together the environment I walked through or to trace the thoughts I felt looking closely at the objects.

Painting is my way of exploring my subject. I try to hone the feeling, texture and weight of the object -from a fragile stick, the smooth pebble, or a rough shell in the palm of my hand.

Throughout painting the found objects, I recollected the joy of looking for limpets, shells and pebbles in the rock pools of Aberystwyth. The transient effects of the surface of the water allowed me to search for the object in paint through the layers of water. The objects naturally left by the tide created their own arrangement that echoed the fleeting moment of their position, which were like the moment of my own footstep in the sand.

At this stage towards the exhibition, I am focussing on my paintings of rock pools and pebbles (below are two currently in progress). Now one month away to the degree show, our catalogue statements are written and we begin the process of selecting work for the catalogue and show.