2009    coloured drawings    the ramp wall    newlyn and the exchange

  artist statement    jessica cooper

This series of drawings ( with painting ) developed from an interest in the architecture and the artefacts found in the café and  shop area of the exchange. I love sitting in this space and looking at all the different objects and colours and how the light and the angular edges of the building interact with each other. With this as a starting point, I decided to produce a specific group of works about the space.

I began by drawing in a sketch book : initially making black ink sketches which then turned into colour. Once in the studio, I wanted to keep the strength and feel of the drawings on paper in the main works and felt that by using board instead of canvas would allow this. It was a real struggle! I spent hours trying to make the acrylic on board work for me and after failing, worked with pen and pencil alongside the paint. The compositions in the work began as small interior scenes as in  Café Table And Chair, later leading onto isolated objects as in  Just Blue .

I like the idea that these works will hang on the ramp wall, as small icons, taking the viewer up the ramp and into a light, colourful and inspiring space.